Igbo leaders across political divides have demanded that the two major political parties in the country concede their presidential tickets for 2023 general elections to the South-East.

The demand was made in a communique signed by a former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and Senator Ike Ekweremadu, issued at the end of a bipartisan meeting of South-East leaders held on Tuesday at Camp Neya, Igbere, Abia State.

They said: “The South-East, as a major geopolitical zone and Ndigbo, being one of the three predominant tribes in Nigeria, must take its rightful position in national polity.

“The Presidency has rotated between Northern and Southern Nigeria and among the various geopolitical zones.”

The leaders held that the zone was united and indivisible in advancing the cause of the region and Ndigbo, stressing that they were not in support of secession or any secessionist groups.