The Youth Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organization in the South-East on Monday said the reported inauguration of a new leadership of the body should be disregarded as the report was planted to cause confusion. The group made this known in a statement issued by the Mazi Okechukwu Isigizoro-led leadership of the OYW.
The statement which was signed by Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, Secretary General, Ohanaeze Youth Wing and Comrade Obinna Achionye, Deputy President said there is no vacancy in the group. The statement was triggered by reports that one Arthur Obiora from Anambra State was inaugurated in Enugu on Monday as the new leader of the group.
The statement read in part;
“It has come to the notice of Ohanaeze Youth Wing, OYW, that the illegal and unconstitutional political appointee youth cliques, created by the erstwhile President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo to impersonate Okechukwu Isiguzoro-led Ohanaeze Youth Wing would be unlawfully inaugurated.
We hereby reiterate that there is no vacancy in Ohanaeze Youth Wing and shall regard this as an affront to create ill feelings within Ohanaeze youth, an action that is likely to break public peace. We call upon the public to note the following stand of Ohanaeze Youth Wing:
On the age limit, Arthur Obiorah, 56, is not qualified, for in Ohanaeze Youth Wing leadership, we are governed by the conventional stipulation known as United Nation’s standard, which is also prevalent in Nigeria, which put youth age at not above 40 years.
While also accusing Obiorah of not possessing the right academic qualifications, the group said he is “a grandfather with 3 grandchildren and has no business being around Ohanaeze Youths, not to even talk of leading/representing Igbo youths before the public or even participating in ethnic nationality youth forums’ meetings with youths from Arewa, Afenifere, Ijaw, Middle Belt, etc.
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro remains the president of Ohanaeze Youth Wing until next April when the Abia tenure expires and a resourceful youth president emerges from Anambra. Be it noted that Ohanaeze Youth Wing is fully an independent organ, with full backing of the laws of the land and Igbo mandate, fully registered appropriately as a corporate entity, which could sue and be sued.
However, Ohanaeze Youths will not be deterred from fully operating democratically and as well continue to serve Ndigbo well, with respect to others. It is verily regrettable that erstwhile President Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, still forcing himself on the Igbo’s and against Igbo preferred Prince Richard Ozobu presidency has made a political charade appointment to usurp Ohanaeze youth Wing leadership.
It is clear desperation of a man who wants to cover a genuine opposition outside and within for trying to repeat the mistakes of the past without proper consultation and endorse his presidential aspirant from Northeast, While Ohanaeze Youth Wing led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro will continue to be peaceful and not be seen to be violent, we will use appropriate legal means to seek redress of any abnormality done to us by Nwodo and his puppet youths presently doing his bidding.
We warn that we should not be held responsible if this eventually leads to breach of public peace. We are afraid that the rank and files of the Igbo youths are not happy with Nwodo and may be pushed to actions beyond OYW control. Hence, we call upon Nwodo to call off his Ohanaeze Youth Wing’s charade/inauguration to enable peace continue to reign in Igbo land and avoid turning the region to another crisis zone.”
