Igbo presidency project says South-East needs political inclusion, not handouts

By Emmanuel Iheaka, Owerri

The Igbo Presidency Project (IPP) has urged a shift from handouts to genuine political inclusion for the South-East, criticizing recent empowerment initiatives by the City Boys Movement in Owerri, Imo State, which ended in chaos as participants scrambled for items.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Chinedu Nsofor, IPP stressed that what the Igbo people truly want is the opportunity to produce the next president of Nigeria, not short-term “empowerment” giveaways.

The group described the programme and its aftermath as a fundamental misunderstanding of the socio-economic character of the South-East. “The region is historically known for enterprise, trade, and private sector resilience. Many families rely on businesses and industry, not palliative handouts,” the statement said.

IPP questioned why items intended to promote political campaigns were distributed instead of meaningful investments, such as industries, infrastructure, and development projects capable of creating sustainable employment opportunities for young people.

“Images circulating from the venue showing people struggling over palliatives represent a humiliating spectacle that should never have happened in a region known for productivity and entrepreneurship,” the group noted, calling the exercise a waste of resources that failed to foster genuine engagement.

The organization stressed that the South-East desires equitable participation in national leadership and development, not token empowerment programmes. “Above all, what the South-East seeks is justice, fairness, and the emergence of an Igbo president who understands the aspirations, enterprise culture, and economic vision of the region,” IPP concluded.

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