Ndigbo should choose president without govs’ interference – Onaiyekan

Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has urged the people of the South-East to freely choose their preferred presidential candidate without interference from state governors. In an interview with Afia Tv, Onaiyekan responded to Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo's recent comments urging Ndigbo to avoid "wasting" their votes and to strategically engage in the 2027 presidential election.

Cardinal Onaiyekan maintained that voters should be allowed to make their own choices, stating that "Ngbdo should be allowed to freely choose who should be their president." He emphasized that governors, while elected representatives, should not dictate how citizens exercise their franchise during elections, noting that they themselves will have the opportunity to cast their votes.

Onaiyekan also advocated for electoral reforms, including a requirement that a presidential candidate secure at least 50 per cent of votes cast before being declared winner, and a more independent process for appointing INEC leadership.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.