Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has advised people of the Southeast to join the two main political parties, All Progressives Congress, APC, or Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, if they must produce Nigeria’s next president in 2023.

Ngige made the remark while urging Southeast politicians to re-strategise and make adequate preparations on how to win the 2023 presidential election.

He cautioned the region against making what he termed the “mistake” of former presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, Kingsley Moghalu, by contesting under an unknown party in 2019.

Speaking with the Sun, the Minister said Moghalu who was eminently qualified to be Nigeria’s President, lost out due to his unpopular party.

He said: “Even in a village meeting, you must stand up and indicate interest for whatever position you want. You make it a topic, and of course, seek for support.

“That’s how the game goes. You don’t stay away from the scene and at the same time be saying that you want power. So, there is still time for us, the Igbos, to go and reinforce.We need to reinforce in the two main political parties. That is what I am saying.

“If you go to Young Progressive Party you won’t be able to win even a local government. You are not the only one contesting. Dr. Moghalu, my very good friend who was deputy governor of the Central Bank. He said that he was going to YPP. I called him and said ‘young man, you have not carried a politics bag. You have not served anybody in politics.

“Why would you jump into a presidential race; not even for House of Representatives?’ If he had declared for governorship, we would have, maybe appealed to him to go for House of Representatives. So, one has to carry political bag and learn from his master. You have to learn the art of politics.”