Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council in the Diaspora has promised to raise multi-million-dollar support funds by the end of 2022 to back whoever the youths nominate among the current South-East governors, or former governors as Igbo presidential candidate ahead of 2023 presidential election.

The youths made the disclosure in Aba, Abia State, in a communiqué signed by the council’s President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and his Secretary, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, at the end of Igbo Youth Day celebration held in Aba Abia State, on Sunday.

According to the youths who set up a national committee to reach out to the prominent leaders and stakeholders including the youth leaders from the six geo-political zones, they said they embarked on the 2023 Igbo Presidency Project based on justice equity and fairness and urged all Igbo presidential aspirants to start activating their contacts towards building bridges across the six-geo political zones of Nigeria.

They also called on all Igbo investors and business moguls to relocate their businesses back home to support the realisation of Enyimba Economic City, Aba project as they have mobilised foreign investors from Asia and European countries.

According to them, it is a means of securing their life endeavours not to be threatened under any guise as the foreign investors will create about 200,000 Jobs for Igbos unemployed youths at the commencement of Enyimba Economic City Aba.

They, however, vowed to embark on a heavy protest and civil disobedience in Abuja and all Igbo speaking states against the Minister of Aviation for non-commencement of rehabilitation work at Enugu Airport, 35 days after its closure which they said had infected untold economic hardship on the people and sabotaged the efforts of South-East governors to the successful upgrading of Enugu Airport to full International airport by putting all the night landing facilities to accommodate international flights during the Christmas period.

“We are alerting President Muhammadu Buhari and the South-East governors of non-commencement of work on the airport, we wonder why Lagos-Ibadan Expressway rehabilitation work is ongoing day and night and there is non-commencement of rehabilitation work at Enugu Airport 35 days after.”

They also passed a vote of confidence on all South-East governors chaired by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State for banning the movement of cattle by foot in the zone. They also commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for employing no fewer than one thousand seven hundred (1,700) forest guards to tackle the insecurity challenges emanating from the activities of criminals masquerading themselves as herdsmen, even as they promised to deal decisively with any erring pastoralist from October 1, 2019.

They called on Nigeria Army to suspend Operation Python dance in South-East and focus more on the North-East and West where there is need to settle the insecurity challenges emanating from Boko Haram activities and banditry, according to them, there are no insurgents In South-East.

“We will not accept any illegal activities of the military officer in the South-East that may lead to the untimely death of any youth like in the case witnessed by dismissed military officer Sgt Johnson, and we urge all Biafra agitators to shelve any plans for protests as the army will begin operations in the nearby future.”

Meanwhile, the group has drawn the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the state of federal roads in the South-East, saying the condition of the roads is getting worse in this raining season, some of the roads they aid include Enugu (Aba axis), which they called a death trap, same for Onitsha-Enugu, which they said is impasse.

“Aba-Calabar Expressway have been overtaken by bushes and hunters are having a field day, Abaomoge/Ugep road, Owerri-Port Harcourt road, Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road are no longer motorable, Ohafia-Arochukwu-Calabar Expressways and the only bridge linking Abia and Cross River have collapsed, Okigwe-Akowa federal road is now reduced to only a trekking route as it is difficult, even for bicycles and motorcycles to move on the roads.

They urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on all the federal roads in the South-East.

Highlights of the meeting was an award given to a British citizen, Ms Ngozi Cornwell, who had dedicated her 35 years to service at Itumbuzor Leprosy Missionary Centre, Bende LGA of Abia State treating leprosy patients.

Also, there was an Igbo Youth Day Lecture delivered by Barr Uche Okwukwu, Secretary-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo who said there was a need for the creation of an additional state in the South-East.

There was also was a prayer summit at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Aba, on the need for God to secure Igbo land and laying of a wreath for the honour of Igbo youths who were murdered between 1967 to 2019, and other side attractions, at the event. (Vanguard)

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