Zonal leaders of Ohanaeze in South South, South West and Northern states on Sunday said that those who visited President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday under the auspices of Ohanaeze youths were imposters.

They also frowned at their exclusion from the New Year visit to Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The Zonal leaders in a joint statement issued in Yenagoa urged President-General of the parent body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, to sanction those behind the visit as it did not follow set rules.

The aggrieved chapters said that one Kingsley Chiedozie, a Deputy President of Ohanaeze Youth Wing, unilaterally led some persons to the visit without regard to the procedures of the youth body.

According to the statement signed by Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, South South, Chief Obinna Nwankwo, Northern states and Mr Alexander Ezeobi, South West Coordinators, they were not party to the visit.

The statement reads in part: “We wish to draw the attention of all Igbos that the persons who visited the Presidential Visit under the guise of Ohanaeze Youth Wing acted on their own in their personal capacities and do not have the backing of Igbo youths.

“It is regrettable that some individuals chose to work against Ohanaeze Youth Wing disguising as leaders of our group for selfish gains ahead the 2019 elections even though the group is non-partisan.

“The authentic leadership of Ohanaeze Youth Wing Executive led by Chief Arthur Obiora was not part of the visit and the President General of our parent body Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo neither endorsed the visit.

“We also note that Chiedozie who had disrespectfully made unauthourised comments on the stand of Ohanaeze on restructuring as he was out of sync with the parent body should face disciplinary actions and sanctions.

“It is our position that they acted in their personal capacities because we have yet to take a position on the forthcoming general elections and the position of Ohanaeze as a non-partisan socio cultural group is sacrosanct.

“We further appeal to our President General to inaugurated the newly elected President of Ohanaeze Youth Wing Chief Arthur Obiora to prevent imposters who parade themselves as leaders of the group from misleading the public.”

The group maintained that sidelining the leadership of the group was an indication that those behind the visit were driven by selfish gains and not the general interest of the Igbos.

They said that there was need to prioritise, consult widely amongst the zones and agree on issues to be tabled before the Federal Government at such meetings and regretted that no such steps were taken.

According to them Ohanaeze Youths residing outside Igbo land remain loyal to the parent body under Nwodo’s watch and await his intervention to avoid leading Igbos astray in the political turf.

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