Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said Northern leaders have decided to forgive the South-East and work with the region.
Kwankwaso disclosed this during an interview with BBC Igbo where he recalled how Biafra warlord, Odumegu Ojukwu and the late Alex Ekwueme worked with Northern political parties during their time.
The former Kano governor said Northern and Southern leaders need to work together as one family.
He said: “We have to forgive ourselves and work together as one family, the South-East has been our ally and friend over the years. During the time of our fathers in politics, the Northern Peoples Congress formed an alliance with the National Council of Nigerian Citizens led by Nnamdi Azikiwe.
“Even in the second Republic, you could see our leaders, Shagari and co went for the South-East. So our leaders had foresight, the civil war finished in 1970.
“When democracy came back, the first thing they said is ‘look they are not our enemies, let’s work together’. Our leaders of the First Republic worked together with them and that was how they brought Alex Ekwueme to be the Vice President.
“People were happy until he died, in fact I went to his hometown during Ekwueme’s burial and throughout his life he has been our friend. It’s only that democracy was truncated.
“I remember that in Jos in 1999 most of the people who were supporting NPN were supporting Ekwueme but of course on the side of Obasanjo then.
“For those who forgot or didn’t know, let me remind them that the NPN, a Northern party had to invite Ojukwu to come back. He came back, contested the seat of Senate and lost the election. But beside the fact that he was the leader of Biafra at that particular time, our leaders decided to forgive themselves and forge ahead.
“We can’t be in the same country and start fighting, we need to have the spirit of forgiveness, so I’m happy that we in the North have decided to go back to history and work with the South-East. That does not mean that we are fighting South-West or any zone in this country. We are all friends. You can’t play politics of Muslim-Christian, North or South, not at this level.”
