Apex Igbo socio-cultural youth group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has demanded an unreserved apology from Igbo Youth Movement (IYM), an Igbo social youth club, for describing Ndigbo as conquered people.
OYC made the demand in a Friday statement jointly signed by its President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Secretary-General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and emailed to The Herald.
The apex Igbo youth group said the activities of IYM in Igbo land have been proscribed until the group rendered the apology to Igbos and Southeast governors following its claim that Igbos are conquered people and Southeast governors were imposed by President Muhammadu Buhari, and by extension most of the governors are slaves to the Central Government.
OYC further accused IYM of erroneously claiming that Igbo youths do not have confidence in the governors.
“They described Umahi as a decorated slave trying to appease the Central Government, Ugwuanyi as avoiding to fight Buhari, Obiano as non-Igbo interest governor, Ikpeazu as non-performer and Uzodinma as the enemy imposed by FG to split Igbo nation by allegedly working on dividing Ohanaeze leadership in the future,” the statement read in part.
“OYC described the above mentioned position of IYM as ranting and vituperation of aggrieved opportunists and serial blackmailers, conquered by their indescribable quests for materialism and mercenaries used by Northern political musketeers, bought over after being out of circulation, for sinister reasons to destroy the collective bargaining and interests of Igbos and destabilise Southeast for the interest of a failed 2019 opposition Presidential candidate, ahead of 2023.”
OYC described Igbos as the “Future of Africa and hope of the black race, and unconquerable.
Contrary to IYM’s position, OYC said, the Southeast governors were overwhelmingly elected by Igbos in 2019 and Governor Willie Obiano in 2017.
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The apex Igbo youth group wondered how the governors could have been imposed on Igbos as claimed since they participated in the electoral process and were duly declared winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Highlighting the attributes and achievements of the Southeast governors, OYC said, “Dave Umahi is a strong-willed governor never a slave, Okezie Ikpeazu had made Aba as the home of Made in Nigeria goods and is building a new Dubai in Enyimba Economic City, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is a peace lover, Obiano is keeping hope alive, Hope Uzodinma balanced the political equation in the Southeast.
“Igbo youths verdict on Southeast governors as the political leaders in terms of containing the spread of COVID-19 through preventive measures are commendable, infrastructural development and security are superb.”
However, OYC said there was urgent need to increase palliative and stimulus packages seeing that COVID-19 lockdown has been extended by Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
The group said, “Hunger might make Nigerians to revolt against stay at home. Federal Government should ensure palliative money should be shared in the Southeast as there is no evidence of it in the Southeast.”
OYC reiterated that “those calling Igbos conquered people have known history of dividing Igbos for their pecuniary gains.
“It was them that sowed the seeds of discord between the IPOB leader and Southeast Governors after their meetings in Enugu in 2017 through masterminding and boycotting the peace parley/subsequent meeting between the Biafran group with Governors through allegations and blasphemy.
“It’s on record that the same people calling Igbos conquered people were chased out of (an) Igbo function at Universal Hotel Enugu in 2018, where Igbo leaders they invited were beaten and forced to leave the venue by angry youths.
“It’s on record that these people are no longer relevant in the realities on the ground; their antics of blackmailing Southeast Governors had been exposed.
“They misinterpreted the cordial relationship between President Buhari and Southeast Governors as weakness.
“Igbo Youth Movement supported the PDP Presidential Candidate against Buhari in 2019 and failed.
“They are working for the same North East politician for 2023; destroying Southeast governors and working against 2023 Igbo presidency is their Agenda which is dead on arrival as the political song of restructuring won’t fly in 2023.”