A Pan-Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-political organisation, Conference of Igbo Professionals Worldwide, (COIPOW), said it has commenced an intensive campaign with series of meeting and lobbying, to enable the South-East region produce the next president in 2023.

The group, however, expressed concern that the formation of a security outfit by the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, would thwart the plan as most leaders from other zones would perceive it in a bad light and withdraw their support.

COIPOW’s National President, Prof. Patrick Kalu, and National Secretary, Dr Uche Mbaka, in a statement yesterday, described the Security Network as Illegal, and appealed to the people of the region not to take Kanu and his security structure seriously.

Prof Kalu said: “We wish to express our profound appreciation to the key Igbo leaders who attended our just concluded emergency meeting in Akwa, Anambra State, where we deliberated and agreed on pushing for Igbo presidency come 2023.

“This is the sure way to go and not the way the acclaimed leader IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wants, through the barrel of the gun. The gunpoint approach by Mr Kanu is certainly not the way-out and he must be told so loud and clear.

“We cannot be demanding president of Nigeria on one hand, and on the other hand, supporting IPOB which is being fraudulently financed by Kanu and his agents to destabilise a united Nigeria through cessation and a parallel security organisation.”