The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has condemned saboteur tag on Ndigbo by former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha.
National President, Ohaneze Youth Council, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, made the condemnation while speaking with newsmen in Owerri, on Friday.
This is following Ihedioha’s speech in Ghana, while addressing Imo people, during which he referred to the teeming supporters of Mr. Peter Obi’s presidential candidacy in Igbo land as “saboteurs”.
Ihedioha, who addressed the Igbo community in Ghana over the weekend, said that Igbos were sabotaging their political future for not supporting the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
The former Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, alleged that it would amount to political naivety and sabotage should Igbo people jettison Atiku and support Peter Obi of Labour Party.
Ohaneze youths described the apology as a mere shade of paint on a lady’s lips, adding that Ihedioha, during the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential primary led some Imo delegates to vote for Aminu Tambuwal, but at “PDP’s convention, when Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal had a deal to support and step down for Atiku Ihedioha was seen at convention field campaigning against presidential aspiration from South-east.
DAILY POST, however, reports that Ihedioha had apologized over the statement, adding that “it was blown out of proportion.”
In a swift reaction, the council said, “Delegates from Imo confirmed that they were instructed to vote for Atiku rather than Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim or Sam Ohuabunwa.
“Before presidential primaries when reasonable Pan-Igbo politicians were busy advocating that presidency should be shifted to South-East, even people across all ethnic groups in Nigeria were calling for the presidency to be ceded to the Southeast, the likes of Orji Uzor Kalu, Gov. David Umahi, Gov. Hope Uzodimma, and others made comments but Emeka Ihedioha didn’t say any word on television or anywhere.
“It’s now obvious to Ndi Imo and Ndigbo at large that Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a political chameleon and a political prodigal son, whose selfish and desperate interest is to shortchange the turn of South-East to produce the next president of Nigeria in 2023”, Igboayaka exclaimed.
According to Igboayaka, “What is left Ndi-Imo and Ndigbo is collectively to make Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha and cohort a political Orphan in Imo, by burying all his political ambitions, because his notoriety in using his political positions to work against his Igbo brothers and sisters quite unbecoming.
“Emeka Ihedioha is one of leading vindictive politicians in Igbo land, and it’s a risk to allow such a fellow to ascend any other political position.
“Emeka Ihedioha loves PDP and his personal political interest more than his (Kinsmen) Ndigbo, his plans to sabotage Peter Obi’s presidential ambition is to lick the buttocks of a Fulani man with an unrealistic promise to present him as PDP presidential candidate in 2031.”
The Council, therefore, insisted Ihedioha to hold a resounding campaign in the state for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, saying that it would serve as a proof of the sincerity in his apology.
“We, therefore, challenge Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha if he is sincere about he is sorry over the anti-Igbo comments, let him rally for support and mobilize for Peter Obi in 2023 presidential election, this is the only condition Ndigbo will forgive him, else the entire Ndigbo nation will make him a political orphan in Imo state”, Igbo youths concluded.
