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Tag: Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro

  • ‘Ohaneze youths not meeting with Buhari’

    The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro have raised alarm over what it termed dangerous precedence being perpetuated by forth columnist who have been sabotaging the interest of Igbo Youths.

    In a statement by Comrade Obinna Achionye, Deputy National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council, the group said some people posing as Ohaneze Youths leadership have been scheduled to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari tomorrow.

    It warned that any decision emanating from such meeting will not be binding on Igbo youths as the authentic leadership will not be part of the meeting.

    The group further alleged that those imposters are spies of some opposition presidential candidates who are contesting the election with President Buhari.

    Read Also: Why we endorsed Atiku, by Ohanaeze

    The statement reads: “From intelligence report available to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, some impostors parading themselves as Ohaneze youths leadership, have been invited by the directorate Youth mobilisation of APC Presidential Campaign Council to the National Youth leaders meeting with President Buhari on 1st February 2019 against the interest of Igbo Youths”

    “Any decisions reached there will not be binding on igbo Youths, and we wish to let Our Dear President know that those attending the meeting are spies who will reveal the details to their paymasters”

    “We thereby disown those who have been billed to meet President Buhari tomorrow being 1st Feb 2019 as not members of Ohaneze Youths, and they will surely work against President Buhari in the forthcoming election, as their paymasters will gather intelligence for them and use it against President Buhari”.

     

  • Ohaneze: We’ll vote against Atiku, PDP if……

    The Youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Monday congratulated the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar on his emergence at the party’s primary.

    The former Vice President on Sunday defeated 11 other aspirants to pick the party’s ticket.

    Read Also:Ohaneze warns PDP against denying South-East VP ticket

    He will challenge incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in next year’s general election.

    Reacting to the victory of the former Vice President, Ohaneze Youth Council Worldwide led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro said Atiku is the right man for the job.

    The group, however, insist that only a running mate from South East will be a suitable pair for PDP to win 2019 Presidential election.

    “Majority of Igbo believes in Restructuring and majority of Igbo Youths wants Referendum because of the economic hardship in the country, we believe that Atiku whose campaign of restructuring will win the hearts of Nigerians and possible pair of running mate from South East Will quell the quest of referendum by agitators and Igbo Youths”

    “We insists that any betrayal of denying Ndigbo the Vice Presidential slot of PDP will make Ndigbo dump PDP in the Presidential election, but will vote PDP in the Gubernatorial elections in Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu”

    The group further said that the zone ‘has better personalities like Peter Obi, Ngozi Okonjo Iwuala, Sen Dr Ike Ekweremadu and Sen Enyinnaya Abaribe who are fit for the Vice Presidential job’

    The group warned that it will work against the PDP by mobilising youths in the zone to vote for another party of Mr Atiku fails to pick his running late from the South East.

  • Ohanaeze, Youth Group reacts to IPOB’s sit-at-home order

    Igbo Socio-cultutal group, Ohaneze on Wednesday said it was not against IPOB’s call for a sit at home in the South East and other Ogbo speaking areas in the South South.

    It however called on the pro-biafran group to carry out the exercise in a peaceful manner.

    Spokesman of Ohaneze, Uche Achi-Okpaga states this in a reastikn he gave to Premium Times on IPOB’S sit-at-home exercise planned by the group for September 14.

    IPOB in a statement said it was carrying out the exercise to protest the invasion of the country home of its Leader, Nnamdi Kanu same date last year.

    Since the invasion by the Army, Mr Kanu’s whereabout have remained unknown with the Millitary and the group trading blames over his whereabouts.

    Mr Okpaga in his reaction said IPOB is not a terrorist organisation.

    “Any action of IPOB that is peaceful is welcome. Sit at home is a welcome idea. That is what we have been saying that IPOB is not a terrorist organisation, they are a peaceful organisation”, he said.

    “It is the Nigerian Army and Government that is deploying all these ploys to make them look violent but all their actions are always peaceful and cordial”.

    Mr Achi-Okpaga warned the Millitary not to capitalize on the sit-at-home to attack IPOB supporters in the region

    “There is nothing wrong with asking you to sit at home. If you want to sit at home you sit at home, if you dont want to sit at home you go about your normal business”.

    “Ohaneze will not be against that move what we don’t want is whereby they(the army) will capitalise on that to be killing our people”, he added.

    Also, the National leadership of All Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organizations has stated that it would interface with Governors of the South East zone to forestall break down of law and order during the September 14 sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

    Read Also: Anxiety as IPOB resumes call for election boycott

    The group further advocated an exercise devoid of violence arguing that the action is capable of leading to loss of lives and properties within the region.

    It insisted that IPOB must change its strategy and ensure people’s lives are not lost in their struggle for self-determination.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the Deputy National Chairman, All Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organization, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro sued for peace as IPOB marks one Year Anniversary of the invasion in Nnamdi Kanu’s home in Abia State.

    “Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organization will interface with South East Governors on the need to save Igbo land from any act that will bring down law and order in the face of IPOB/MASSOB struggle for self determination and Biafra agitation. It is necessary yhat such meeting will bring back the stakeholders in Biafra agitation to ensure peace in quest for self determination.

    “Irrespective that any group is entitled to self-determination and freedom to observe any day as a means of expressing their anger or protest over perceived injustice and seek better ways to ensure redress through legal and constitutional channels, Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organizations caution for peaceful means devoid of violence and action capable breaking down law and order”, the group said.

    The group while acknowledging the injustices metted out to the zone on Sept 14 last year, the group urged security agencies to ensure that there was no confrontation with IPOB on the day of the sit-at-home exercise.

    “We Urge IPOB to consider the Economic loss of the people of South East and ensure that the sit at home on September 14th should not expose Igbo Youths to untimely death.

    “We know that injustice recorded on September 14th will always be indelible in the minds of South Easterners but IPOB should put up measures in place to ensure re occurrence of such injustice never happen again, IPOB must change strategy and ensure people’s lives are not lost in their struggle for self-determination”

    “We call on Security agents to overlook the sit at home order and ensure that South East didn’t witness any act of confrontation between them and Biafra agitators, and maintain peace during and after September 14th, 2018.”

  • Ban on secessionist group: Ohanaeze youths back S’East govs

    Ban on secessionist group: Ohanaeze youths back S’East govs

    Youths of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has given its support to the decision by South East governors to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The group also entered into an agreement in Abuja yesterday with leaders of other ethnic nationalities in the country to promote peace and ensure the safety of every Nigerian.

    In a communique issued at the end of the leaders of ethnic nationalities meeting held at FAB Apartments, Abuja, the Ohanaeze Youth Council reassured all Northerners and members of other ethnic nationalities resident in the East to go about their businesses without any fear as the safety of their lives and properties is guaranteed.

    Similarly, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) reassured the Igbo and other ethnic groups resident in the northern part of the country of the safety of their lives and property, and the guarantee that they reserve the right to pursue their legitimate businesses and livelihood without fear.

    The meeting, which was attended by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Yoruba Youth Congress (YYC), Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) and a host of other groups, restated the group’s commitment to a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria where the rights of all citizens to live peacefully in any part of the country is guaranteed, adding that all Nigerians have the moral duty to be their brother’s keeper in all parts and affairs anywhere in the country.

    The leadership of the OYC in a separate statement signed by the President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro; the Deputy National President, Dr Arthur Obiora;  the Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and other executive members called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently commence the process of restructuring the country by marching words with action.

     ”We are saddened by the level of confrontation between the Nigerian Army and the Biafra agitators and the consequent death of many Igbo youths in the process.

    “We are also sad over the reported death of a policeman during this unfortunate but avoidable incident. We say avoidable in the sense that before the launch of Operation Python Dance 2, there was already a reasonable level of discussion between us and the agitators.

    “We are equally aware that South-East governors were also in discussion with the agitators before the military launched its action.

    “However, considering the level of destruction and ruins that could have erupted, we applaud the South-East governors for rising to the occasion.

    “It was indeed the need of the moment. We cannot afford to continue to lose the lives of our people, in addition to over three million killed during the civil war,” the group said.

    The OYC, however, noted that proscribing the IPOB was merely a temporary measure, adding that if the root causes of the agitations were not addressed, “we would not be any surprised if another group more daring than IPOB springs up in the future.

    “While we affirm our belief in one and united Nigeria anchored on justice and fairness, we insist that the country should be fair and just to all irrespective of ethnicity or religion.

    “The Igbo are equally partners in the Nigerian project and should, therefore, be treated fairly.

    “We commend Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for his mature disposition in handling Aba crisis, and South East National Assembly members led Ekweremadu.

    “May we also urge the President to pardon and release all the IPOB members arrested during the reported confrontation with the military.”

     

  • Biafra: Groups want youth confab to discuss way forward

    The various ethnic nationality groups in the country have called for a national confab to discuss ways out of the tension generated by recent eviction notice given to Igbos in the North.

    The ‎groups met in Abuja where they called for a ceasefire among the various youth groups in the country.

    However, they ended the meeting with a demand for convocation of national youth confab.

    A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting was signed by Comrade Eric Oluwale of the Yoruba Youth Council Worldwide and Secretary General Ethnic National Youths Leaders, Comrade Emma Zompal of the Middle Belt Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Barr. Oweilaemi Ereotubo of the Ijaw Youths and Alhaji Ibrahim Waiya of Arewa Northern Youths Assembly.

    The communiqué was read by Zompal, flanked by several members of the delegation.

    The groups hinged their call for ceasefire on the intervention of former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi.

    The communiqué reads: “Having observed with dismay, the ongoing tension across the country, which followed the quit notice given to Igbos in the Northern part of Nigeria, we met today, June 14, 2017 in Abuja and took far reaching decisions.

    “We condemned the quit notice served by Arewa youths‎ to Igbos resident in the North and have resolved for peace to reign in all quarters. The meeting has, however, initiated a peace process aimed at reconciling the north and the south east.

    “We are still insisting on restructuring of the country in order to guarantee equitable federalism and peaceful co- existence.

    “For the collective interest of Nigeria, we are calling for a ceasefire among all the aggrieved youth groups in the country. Pushing this matter too far has grave implication for Nigeria and by extension, the youths.

    “We have resolved to toe the line of peace due to the fatherly advice given by the former governor of Anambra State, Chief Peter Obi, the Okwute Ndigbo. The youths, without hesitation, are ready to heed his advice considering his towering reputation beyond the shores of Nigeria.”