According to Nigerian Tribune, High Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, emphasized the significance of the success of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly for the Igbo community. During a gathering with the Igbo Community Assembly in Abuja, Iwuanyanwu underscored that the Igbos would bear the brunt of any failure within Nigeria, urging both local and diaspora Nigerians from the South-East to rally behind Tinubu’s leadership.
He highlighted the extensive investments made by the Igbo community across Nigeria, emphasizing that any instability or crisis within the country would disproportionately affect them. Despite not supporting Tinubu during previous elections due to the preference for an Igbo candidate, Iwuanyanwu expressed a shift in perspective, urging support for Tinubu's administration to safeguard the interests of the Igbo people.
Acknowledging Tinubu's past association with prominent figures like MKO Abiola, Iwuanyanwu emphasized the need for Tinubu to protect the rights and assets of the Igbo community. He called for Tinubu's commitment to ensuring that the Igbo's contributions and existing investments in Nigeria are preserved and not subjected to unjust encroachment.
“You all know that the President worked for MKO Abiola and Abiola was my friend. I knew him (Tinubu) that time through Abiola. It is true that we didn’t support him during the election because we believe that it should be an Igbo person. Now we have no reason not to support him and I don’t have anything whatsoever against him. All we require now is to expect him to ensure that what belongs to us and what we have already is not taken away from us,” Iwuanyanwu said.