Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has roundly condemned the unprovoked attack on the convoy of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, during a recent visit to Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.
National President of OYC, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, in a statement Thursday, warned of the dire consequences of any harm coming on the former Anambra State Governor.
Accusing past and present northern leaders of impoverishing northern youths, OYC called on northern youths to eschew tribal politics and not to stoke the embers of ethnic tension.
The OYC President called for more intensive campaign and political sensitisation and reorientation of northern youths.
Ohanaeze youths alleged that those that stoned Peter Obi were instigated by some politicians in Kastina, Sokoto, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, who according to them, have deprived the teenagers and youths basic education in order to keep them in perpetual slavery.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read in part: “It’s very ironical that those that attacked Peter Obi are those he has planned to lift out of poverty; both intellectual poverty and material poverty.
“The incident that happened to Peter Obi was an evidence of political brainwashing going on in some northern states by selfish and wicked politicians to create more Alamajiris.
“Most northern teenagers and youths are deliberately denied education by politicians in the North, with a view to keeping them as beggars and shoe shiners, while the same northern Governors, Senators, Ministers, Federal House of Representatives members State House of Assembly members, Directors in federal and State agencies send their own children to the best schools in world.
“Recent statistics proved that illiteracy in Nigeria, is more rampant in the northern states caused by some northern leaders. It’s obvious that those that stoned Peter Obi missed their target which should be some northern past and present leaders.”
Ohanaeze said the attack on Obi was a danger signal to the 2023 polls.
“The attack on Peter Obi should throw every progressive minded person in the North to reflect and meditate on why illiteracy is more high in northern Nigeria than southern Nigeria even after being the most region producing the most Heads of State and Presidents of Nigeria since 1960 of Nigerian Independence.”
OYC called on northern youths to rally round Obi who it said had good agenda for all Nigerians without discrimination.
“It’s now very crucial that the first inaugural speech of Peter Obi when elected must capture declaration of compulsory free education in most of northern states from Primary School to Secondary School with best modernised equipment and infrastructure.”
