A youth group in Ebonyi State, under the auspices of the Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum, said it had rejected the All Progressive Congress gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming general election, the Rt. Hon. Francisco Nwifuru.
The youth said they were not comfortable with the political disposition of the APC candidate, saying they needed a candidate who would not only protect their interests but also rule the people with the fear of God if elected.
In a statement signed by the President of the Board of Trustees of the Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum, Prince Maurice Mbam; Comrade Edward Nwenu, immediate past president of the forum; and Bro. Michael Nwambam, among others, the youth endorsed Labor Party gubernatorial candidate Edward Nkwegu as their sole candidate in the 2023 general election.
The statement read in part: “We hereby adopt Dr. Edward Edward, the Ebonyi of the Labor Party, as our consensus candidate for the 2023 gubernatorial election in our state.
“This is in line with fairness, fairness and justice. We hereby call on all sons and daughters of the Izzi Nnodo Clan, both at home and abroad, to unite in support of Nkwegu’s candidacy.
“This will bring peace, unity and progress, not only in the land of Izzi, but in the entire Ebonyi State. Support for Nkwegu is the result of credibility, charity of purpose and unity of the Izzi land.
“A very important decision has been reached, after the meeting of the board of directors of the Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum, which resolved the following:
“That we will not tolerate any form of political vandalism, threats to life and property. We condemn any form of victimization, undue violence, undue influence, and vote buying. We ask the state government to provide equal conditions to all political parties to exercise their right to vote.
“Let our Ohaukwu brothers remember that we supported Dr. Sam Egwu during his tenure as governor and his senatorial ambition, which led to victory for two consecutive terms, respectively.
“We remind our brothers from the Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone to support us as we support your brother, Chief Martins Elechi, to produce the next governor of this state in the 2023 general election.
“We also remind our brothers from the South Ebonyi Senate Zone to remember that the Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum declared for the first time to change power to go to the southern zone of the state at the Teachers’ Training College, Igneagu in the Government Area Local Izzi of Ebonyi State, and this later led to the rise of Governor David Umahi in 2015 to date.
“That we assure each and every one, that we have resolved and will ensure the extraction of the Izzi clan in order to have a consensus candidate in the person of Nkwegu, before the day of the vote.”
