Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Igbo youths under the aegis of Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, have warned the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, against endorsing the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, for the 2023 presidential race.
The warning is coming amid claims by the coalition, that it had uncovered plots to financially induce some “unpatriotic Igbo politicians and Ohanaeze Ndigbo chieftains” to endorse Tinubu during his proposed visit to Anambra and Imo States on Monday.
COSEYL in a press statement by its President General Goodluck Ibem, claimed that the intention of those hatching the plot was to spite the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, who had earlier been endorsed by Ohanaeze.
The coalition cautioned those behind the plot not to mortgage the future of Ndigbo because of their selfish political interests.
It wondered why anybody would want to hide under the umbrella of Ohanaeze to adopt Tinubu after the apex Igbo body had endorsed Obi.
The coalition warned those behind the move not to create any confusion in the South-East.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read: “Our attention has been drawn to a plot by some Ohanaeze Elders and some mischievous Igbo political leaders to endorse Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu during his planned visit to Anambra State on Monday, November 7, 2022.
“Tinubu has never hidden his disdain for the people of South-East and now that the elections are here, he suddenly needs their support and endorsement.
“Prior to the APC presidential primaries, Senator Bola Tinubu visit all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria to canvass for votes from APC delegates but he never visited any South-East states to campaign during their party’s primaries. Why is he coming to South-East now that the presidential election is around the corner to look for endorsement from the same people he despised and looked down on?”
COSEYL further wondered why Tinubu suddenly remembered the South-East which he never cared to identify with during the flood disaster when he empathized with victims in the other zones.
“The recent flooding that ravaged so many states and communities in Nigeria, Tinubu never visited any South-East state to sympathize with them, rather he went to Kano State and gave N100 million to flood victims in the state. Maybe to Tinubu, the people of South-East are less human which informed his action and now he is coming to the same people he ignored for endorsement.”
COSEYL accused Tinubu of infiltrating the ranks of groups that had endorsed Obi to also endorse him.
“Tinubu’s recent activity has proved that he enjoys bringing confusion and divisions among socio-cultural organizations. The apex socio-cultural organization in South West, Afenifere ably led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo endorsed Mr. Peter Obi as their presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election and Senator Bola Tinubu approached Pa Reuben Fasoranti and some other members of Afenifere for the same endorsement which has been given wholeheartedly to Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP.
“Ohanaeze has endorsed Mr Peter Obi as her preferred presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election and the same Tinubu wants to bring confusion by bribing some corrupt South-East Governors, Ohanaeze members with N2 billion to endorse him during his visit on Monday 7 November, 2022.”
COSEYL argued that Tinubu’s role in bringing the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration which had unleashed hardship on Nigeria, hence he should not be rewarded with the presidency in 2023.
“Tinubu is the architect of the current sufferings, hardship, insecurity, hyper-inflation, University strikes which Nigerians are facing today. He told lies to Nigerians in 2015 that the APC has a better offer and the offer brought to Nigerians by Tinubu and his party have been sorrow, killings, kidnapping and all forms of social vices. Too sad!
“When APC took over in 2015, $1 was exchanged for N160 and today it is $1 for N780. Fuel was sold for N86 per litre and now it is N210. Kerosene was sold for N50 per litre and now it is sold for N1500 per litre. Tinubu and his party has a PhD in telling of lies and what they are bringing to Anambra State are bags of lies and deceit to market to the people.
“Tinubu should stop wasting his time, Nigerians cannot be deceived the second time. ‘First fool no be fool na second fool be proper foolishness.’ We say no to APC bundle of lies come 2023. We want only those who can deliver.
“Democracy also entails doing the right thing and the right thing we expect from Tinubu and his party APC to do this time, is to pack their bags and leave Aso Rock for a better candidate to take over. Nigerians are taking back their country this time around come 2023.
“We warn those corrupt Igbo leaders who are planning this anti-people programme of endorsing Tinubu on Monday to desist from such show of shame. They should remove the hand of the monkey from the soup before it turns to the hand of a human being.
A situation were a few individuals will collect N2 billion from Bola Tinubu to mortgage the future of Nigerians after all the presents sufferings brought by Tinubu and his party will not be entertained by Igbo youth leaders. Enough said!”
