The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OYC

  • Ohanaeze, others flay IPOB attacks on Ikpeazu, Umahi

    Ohanaeze Youth Council and a coalition of Igbo groups on Monday condemned the verbal attacks on governors of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu and his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi by members of the opposition parties and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    IPOB leader, Nnamdi KANU, had said in his recent broadcast that Abia and Ebonyi people should vote out Ikpeazu and Umah, claiming that they are sabotaging their agitation.

    The groups described their actions as unacceptable and laughable.

    National President of OYC, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, after their meetings in Abakaliki, said Kanu has derailed from his Biafra agitation and should not be listened to.

    He urged Kanu to concentrate on the no-election campaign and leave Ikpeazu and Umahi alone to concentrate on their quest to reposition their different states.

    In a statement, he said: “The coalition of Igbo groups; namely World Igbo Youth Congress, Southeast Women Professionals and Igbo Students Movement had met with the Forum of BibeingaAgitators and resolved that the attack was laughable.

    “It is laughable that Kanu is derailing from his Biafra agitation and now being sponsored by politicians to cause confusion and pursuing campaign of calumny against those who mean well for him.”

    The coalition expressed concern at the outburst, asking why the IPOB members did not register to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), despite that they were advised to do so.

    Read Also: Stronger, more focused Ohanaeze Ndigbo emerging, says Nwodo

    Isiguzoro urged the IPOB to emulate the maturity and non-violence approach of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), led by Uchenna Madu.

    It lauded the group, which had expressed willingness to allow INEC to conduct election in the southeast, and also ensure that there is no bloodshed during the ongoing Operation Python Dance111.

    On Adams Oshiomhole’s allegations that Ikpeazu has been collecting bailout funds without paying salaries, it said: “We are shocked because our members who are Abia workers are paid as at when due, while no Abia or Ebonyi worker is being owed.”

    “We unanimously state that zoning formula favours Ikpeazu and Umahi. The opposition parties in Abia and Ebonyi know that their candidates cannot win in these states, because there are no vacancies to be filled in the two Government Houses till 2023.”

  • Don’t mortgage Igbo future, OYC tells Igbo leaders

    THE Ohanaeze youth Council has warned leaders from the zone against mortgaging the future of the people and the area through the political agreements they are reaching with politicians. The president of the association, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, made the call in a telephone chat with The Nation. Speaking on the recent visit of the South East governors to President Muhammadu Buhari during the week, Isiguzoro lauded the governors for the demands they made during the visit.

    “ We are happy that they made demands for the completion of the second Niger Bridge, the Enyimba Free Trade Zone and the Akanu Ibiam Airport. But we want to use this opportunity to warn them against any move that would jeopardise the interest and future of Ndigbo. I want to use this opportunity to remind them of what happened during the Obasanjo era when all the Alliance for Democracy governors that supported him lost their re-election. “They should make sure that we the youths, women and other critical stakeholders are carried along in every decision or move they are making so that no group feels alienated.

  • Abia, Ebonyi erosion: Ohaneze youths beg FG to intervene

    The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has appealed to the federal government to intervene in the menace perpetrated by erosions in some parts of Ebonyi and Abia States.

    It said the situation in Abakaliki Ugep road in Ebonyi and Isuikwuato in Abia are now death traps to motorists and other road users.

    These were contained in a statement issued in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital by its Deputy President General, Obinna Achuonye.

    The group said if the situation is not remedied, it might degenerate to a distasteful situation.

    “The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide urges the Federal Government to help in the area of erosion control in Isuikwuato and Abakaliki Ugep road, which is a death trap for motorists.

    “We applaud the mutual cooperation with President Buhari, especially with high regards to ensuring that the South East gets their fair share from the projects and economic programmes of the administration.

    “Governor Umahi remains an embodiment of unity among the Igbo, his approach to governance in Ebonyi is unprecedented.

    “We advice the state government to explore this relationship with President Buhari and the Federal Government, for mutual development,” the group said.

    The group further said it was endorsing both governors for re-election in next year’s general election for their transformative performance since they assumed office.

  • Igbo youths threaten attack if…

    Igbo youths threaten attack if…

    •Back Jonathan’s re-election

    Igbo youths have threatened reprisal if the Igbo are attacked in the North before, during and after the elections.

    The youth under the aegis of the Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC) promised to work with other ethnic nationalities, especially the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), to ensure the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The Executive Council of the group, led by its President, Chief Okechukwu Isiguzoro, spoke in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, yesterday after a visit to the IYC President, Mr. Udens Eradiri.

    He urged the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), who is also the Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, to advise his colleagues to ensure security for the Igbo.

    Isiguzoro said although the Igbo were advised to remain calm, any attack on them would be retaliated in the Southeast and Southsouth.

    He said the call for NGF to provide security became necessary, following security reports that some northerners were planning to instigate violence to take over the businesses and homes of the Igbo.

    The youth leader said the people were angry because most Ndigbo supported Jonathan’s re-election.

    Isiguzoro, who inaugurated the Bayelsa State chapter of the OYC, led by Chief Chinedu Aturchukwu, said they were awaiting a statement from Governor Aliyu to reassure the Igbo of their safety.

    He said if the governor  failed, the Igbo would have no option but to begin the exodus to their ancestral homes.

    His words: “Although we have asked the Igbo in the North to remain calm and stay focused on voting for President Jonathan, we have uncovered a plot by some elements in the North to promote tension and cripple the Igbo businesses worth billions of naira.

    “They are also planning to take over their businesses. We urge Governor Aliyu to assure the Igbo of their safety because if there is any attack on them, there will be retaliation.”

    On the postponement of elections, he said the youth supported the shift to enable eligible voters get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

  • Ohanaeze youths accuse Jonathan of neglect

    Ohanaeze youths accuse Jonathan of neglect

    Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) yesterday lamented that President Goodluck Jonathan has not fulfilled the promises he made to Igbo youths, who voted for him in 2011.

    Newly-elected Youth leader Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro said Igbo youths worked to ensure that President Jonathan emerged, but three years after, they were yet to feel the impact of his administration.

    Isiguzoro, who regretted the high rate of unemployment among Igbo youths, appealed to the President to accommodate them in his transformation agenda.

    “We mobilised, canvassed and worked to ensure that Jonathan won, but since then, the Igbo youth have not seen any impact of his administration. We call on him to ensure that Igbo youths are accommodated in his transformation agenda. That is the only way we can assure him of our support in future,” the OYC leader said.

    Isiguzoro called on the Federal Government to set up a Southeast Development Commission just as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to cater for the unemployed Igbo youth or include them in the N59.9 billion amnesty programme.

    He said their inclusion in amnesty would reduce kidnapping in the Southeast and make the zone to reclaim its position as the foremost commercial hub in the country.

    Isiguzoro assured that his leadership would cooperate with non-governmental organisations and relevant agencies to set up vocational centres in the Southeast.

    “I call on Southeast governors to see what they can do for the youth. They have budgets allocated to Youth ministries and we are going to ensure that we visit the states, commissioners for Youth Development or ministries of Youth Development, to ensure that the money budgeted are utilised for youth empowerment,” he said.

    He said OYC would partner the private sector to ensure they live up to their Corporate Social Responsibility, regretting that many people come to Igboland and make money, yet they do not have anything to offer youths.