Ohanaeze Youth Council, the Youth wing of the Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has cautioned the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar against dropping Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.
The Igbo socio political group, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, OYC, has cautioned Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar against dropping Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.
There has been talks of leaders of PDP pushing for Okowa to be dropped as Atiku’s running mate. Proponents of such an idea are believed to be supporters of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Party members loyal to Wike are reported to have asked Atiku to replace Okowa as a condition to allow peace to reign in the party ahead of the 2023 election.
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In its reaction, the OYC in a statement asked Atiku not to drop Okowa or risk losing Igbo vote.
The apex Igbo group in the statement signed by the National President, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and Secretary, Comrade Obinna Achionye said Okowa’s emergence as the running mate of Atiku serves as a consolation to Igbos that wanted the presidency.
The OYC stated that the South East could not be denied the only opportunity it has to be represented at the centre after failing to clinch the presidential candidate of either the PDP or the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
the statement read, “There is no need to repeat that we expected both the PDP and the APC to zone their presidential tickets to the South-East, but that did not happen.
“Though this has been overtaken by events, the only consolation we have is the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, considering that Okowa is a true Igbo son.
“Having said this, how could anyone wake up and think of replacing Okowa with Wike? As much as we know that Atiku reserves the right to choose whoever he wills as his running mate, we also have the right to vote according to our desire.
“And that desire is clear- that the PDP would not get one vote from Igbo land should they field Wike, because this is a man who disowned Ndigbo. He said he is not one of us and this is payback time, we also do not know him. Should the PDP make the mistake of pairing him with Atiku, the PDP will be roundly rejected during the presidential election,” the Ohanaeze youths warned.
The OYC added that “with the new Electoral Act, those who constituted themselves into emperors are going to be disgraced during the polls. The time for bogus fake results is over, so nobody should be deceived.”
Source: Dailypost