Ohanaeze Youths Say Southeast Leaders Did Not Represent Ndigbo At Meeting With Buhari Delegates

The National Executive Council of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), led by Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, has described the outcome of the recent meeting of the Southeast governors and leaders, and presidential delegates as a ‘sycophantic, watery gathering to eulogise the worst underperformed president in the world and in Nigeria since 1960’.

The council, in a statement signed by Chukwuemeka Chimerue, special assistant on media and publicity to the national president, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), dated November 10, 2023, and made available to THE WHISTLER, stated that, “The council noted that the governors and so-called leaders of Igbo extraction gallivanted with the presidential delegates from Gen Muhammadu Buhari as they chickened out from canvassing the real issues concerning the economic growth and progress of Ndigbo.

“Unfortunately, the meeting merely culminated in a ‘Thank You Feast’ while they fearfully and selfishly failed to query or present salient issues to the presidential delegates, such as why $2.8b Ajaokuta, Kano and Kaduna gas pipeline project was awarded and Ala Igbo (Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Anambra states) that has the highest gas quantity in Nigeria was sidelined. These political elements could not present the need for an industrial gas pipeline in Igbo land to aid our region for an industrial revolution.”

The group mentioned other areas that the gathering failed to address to include the construction of Otuocha-Nmiata road to Kogi by extension to Abuja that was abandoned since 45 years ago, adding that, it is ‘a federal road that connected Igbo land from Onitsha to the North that can only take 3:30hrs’ drive to Abuja’, as well as ‘restructuring as a collective position from Ndigbo which is the lasting solution to the age-long political instability and crisis in Nigeria’.

The statement continued that, “It is now obvious that these political leaders had lost their sense of humanity and must be retired come 2023. The Southwest governors and critical stakeholders in Yoruba land bravery demanded the restructuring of the country to regional government, while the so-called leaders in Southeast ended up with singing hallelujah songs to the president just to curry favour from the northern political elements.”

While stating that Igbo leaders had lost respect of the youths, the group added that, “The upcoming protest, that will be geared towards ending the current unitary system of government to pave way for true federalism, can’t be controlled by selfish leaders in Igbo land. The meeting lacked merit and endorsement of over 80 million Igbos whom they claim to represent and there was no democratic consultation with the town unions or youth organizations to determine the pressing needs of Ndigbo.”

It also regretted that since 1966, Ndigbo had not elected their own governors and leaders into position, ‘but what we have in various states parading as governors are mostly agents of northern political oligarchy’.

Comrade Igboayaka, in the statement, warned the governors/leaders of Igbo extraction ‘that the raging anger and pains of Igbo youths over poor representation in the Nigerian political project might not be quenched with harassment or intimidation by the police and army’.