Second Republic Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chieftain of the United Nigerians Peoples Party (UNPP), Chief Edwin Ume Ezeoke, has declaed his intention to contest next year's presidential election.

Addressing a world press conference at the Sheration Hotel and Towers, Abuja, Chief Ezeoku said he decided to join the presidential race in order to redirect the affairs of the country.

He stated that the present administration has faild to meet with the expectation of the electorates.

The former Speaker, who described the Obasanjo administration as corrupt and inept promised to bring about a departure from business as usual and provide a responsive leadership that would cater for the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

Chief Ezeoke decried the situation in which Nigerians have found themselves under the present government.

The UNPP stalwart, who xrayed the poor performance of the Obasanjo adminstration mentioned the dwindling economic fortunes insecurity, unemployment and gross human rights violations and cited the Odi and Zaki Biam military operations as glaring examples of the worst thing any responsible government could do.

He argued that it is time for Nigeria to have an Igbo president. Saying that if there must be true reconciliation in the country Nigerians should support the Igbo presidency project.

The UNPP presidential hopeful who promised to bring out his manifests and programmes was quick at empressing the optimism that his government would be better than what Ngieria has today under President Obasanjo.'