Hundreds of youths, on Monday, in Enugu, marched round, protesting alleged substitution of the name of the Presidential candidate of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), Mr. Iheanacho Ezeakor.

The protesting youths, who chanted songs against the national chairman of the APDA, said it was a disservice to democracy for the chairman to remove the name of the Ezeakor, after he had emerged a sole-aspirant to the party’s ticket.

Leader of the youths, Dr. Michael Okereke and Mustapha Yaguda of the Hausa community, who expressed sadness over the development, said: “It is highly reprehensible for someone who calls himself a national chairman of a party to remove the name of a candidate and substitute same with his own name.

“We have never seen a thing like that and that is why we are showing our anger against it today. Iheanacho Ezeakor is one of us, a youth in who we believe holds the magic wand towards the challenges facing this country.

“So, we are urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do the needful by restoring Ezeakor’s name.”

While addressing the youths, highly elated Ezeakor, who said the matter was already before the court, said he was determined to retrieve his mandate.

He disclosed that he was in the race having observed with disdain the suffering of the Nigerian masses.

According to him, “I saw the suffering of the Nigerian masses; I saw that things were going wrong in this country. I took it upon myself to make my impact, to stand for the youths, to stand for the oppressed.

“As a member of APDA, I was the only person that scaled through the process of nomination, but the same evil that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the nation’s political life cropped up again.

“The chairman of the party, instead, went ahead and now substituted my name with that of himself. But I’m optimistic that our candidacy will be restored in the coming days.

“This is why I’m fighting because the leadership of this country belongs to the youths. I challenge Buhari and Atiku to a debate; they should go and rest. What are they looking for again? Buhari will be disgraced in the general election if he does not step aside.”

Ezeakor urged the youths not to partake in “political thuggery”, but to seize the mantle of leadership.

“The youths should build a village devoid of ethnic or religious inclinations. We are all Nigerians. This is a journey we have started and we are taking to our choice destination. When they give you money, collect it, but don’t vote for them,” he said.

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