*Announces boycott of 2023 general elections by Ndigbo if demands ‘re not met

As pressures mount on the two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to zone their ticket for president to the South East region of Nigeria, ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Igbo youths under the aegis of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), weekend warned APC and PDP against denying the region ticket.

The youth handed down the warning in a communique at the end of her national expanded executive council meeting held in Enugu.

The youths said the meeting was meant for “CRITICAL EVALUATION OF NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT OF SOUTHEAST EXTRACTION PROJECT 2023”.

Also, the youths agreed that all perceived conspiracies to deny southeast presidential aspirants of APC and PDP the tickets of the leading political parties will cause a total boycott of 2023 general election by Ndigbo and may encourage the call for separation of Ndigbo From Nigeria.

The Communique signed by National President, Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka, National Ag. Secretary General, Comrade Ifeanyi Nweke, respectively, reads in part:

In view of the recent conspiracy and political permutations against Ndigbo, (the South East extraction of the Nigerian formation) the apex Igbo Youth organization of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council, (OYC) hereby issues stringent advice to the leadership of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC ) as well as that of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to jettison any plan or attempt to deny presidential aspirants from South-East the candidacy for both APC and PDP in the next 2023 presidential election as this may finally bring a sudden end to Nigeria as one united entity.

Furthermore, we declare that if APC and PDP deny Southeast presidential aspirants their political party tickets, there will be total lockdown in Igbo land on 25th February 2023 which is the day of the Presidential and National Assembly elections. Also a total lockdown will take place on 11th March 2023 which is the day of Governorshisp and State Houses of Assembly elections as the elections are not in the interest of Ndi Igbo.

To this effect, Ndigbo will bycott 2023 general elections if APC and PDP deny Southeast presidential aspirants tickets as this will be an indication that Ndigbo are not needed as a part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hence the need to review the amalgamation that joined us all as one country called Nigeria.

The youths also warned, saying,

“Again, there will be no access road to distribute electoral materials in any polling unit in Igbo land. If the powers that be in Nigeria can't give Southeast presidency that which is duly our turn to rule the country like other extractions of the country have been given fair chances then Igbos will peacefully have no other option than to leave this union called Nigeria.

We want to use this medium to advise Ndigbo living in the Northern parts of Nigeria to immediately start taking their security very serious if APC and PDP deny Southeast presidential aspirants, adequate arrangements should be made for their return back home.

The World should bear in mind that this orchestrasted conspiracy against Southeast is over due, we cannot take it any longer as the struggle for the emancipation of our people starts now”.

The Council further draws to attention that “95% of Ndigbo are already disenchanted with the suffering and lack of equal opportunities in Nigeria”, stating that demanding for Nigeria president of Southeast extraction remains crucial to the hearts of Igbos, The Council, therefore, calls on well meaning Nigerians especially the North to understand that all the negative happenings in Nigeria especially insecurity are signs of "red flags" that requires urgent patriotic attention and call their political leaders to order by promoting peace and unity. The Northern, Southwest and South-South presidential Aspirants might pervert justice against Southeast and have the tickets yet there wouldn't be any Nigeria to govern”.

They went on to say “If the Northern people don't accept or believe in rotational presidency, there shouldn't be any reason for qouta system and federal character, because federal character has been the POLICY of sharing formula, it's solely the right of Southeast to produce the next president of Nigeria come 2023. We are all aware that if quota system is scrapped that means that some children in Northern part of Nigeria will not compete favourably in education and in federal limelight both in politics and civil service jobs. If the cut-off mark in secondary and university is kept according to merit, almost a good number of children in the North cannot access secondary and university education in Nigeria with the records of poor outing at every entrance of National examinations.

“It's important to note that quota system and federal character have helped the Northern people of Nigeria. If the recruitment of Police, Immigration officers, Prison Officers, DSS, NSCDC, Army, Navy, Custom, Fire Service, Road Safety and other security agencies are done on merit, the Northern part of Nigeria wouldn't have up to 20% in those agencies. If the recruitment is done by merit only Southern part of Nigeria will dominate and Southeast will make an impressive impact. Southeast presidential project is "Sacrosanct", the North should stop shifting the goal post to suit them whenever it comes to issues that concerns equality and fairness of all Nigerians irrespective of where they come from.

“The experiences of the South-east and how the region has been treated since the end of the "1966-1970 Genocide" suggests that the Southeast is not part of Nigeria. The issues of Ministerial appointments is just to say, it's a tokenism to Ndigbo whose technocratic expertise is unequaled in Nigeria. What we get are certain ministerial appointments and that suggests tactical exclusion from the main running of Nigeria. The Southeast is not considered for ministerial appointments into Defense, Works, Power and other sensitive ones. Even when we are appointed into Education our highly learned people are made subordinate ministers. A laughable case was when Professor Anthony Anwuka was a junior minister to someone whose academic experience is miles away with that of the Professor.

“The Council resolved that If Injustice and marginalization against the Southeast is what has now characterised Nigeria as a country despite Gen. Yakubu Gowon's fraudulent "No Victor No Vanquish", Then there is no basis for Nigeria's continuous Unity and Southeast will not be part of Nigeria beyond 2023”.

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