By VICTOR NWACHUKWU

The South-South Youth Wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has said that the former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, is eminently qualified to lead the organisation.

The South-South Zonal Coordinator of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, said this at a news briefing in Owerri on Tuesday.

Arthur-Ugwa was reacting to reports in some sections of the media, where one Mr Igboanyaka Igboanyaka alleged that Okiro does not hail from Rivers, where the body zoned the position of the next President-General to.

He said that while Okiro served as Nigeria?s Police Chief, ?he was a bonafide citizen of Rivers from Okwuzi Town in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area and has so remained?.

He further said that Okwuzi is a boundary Town in Rivers from where Okiro?s family acquired farmlands in the neighbouring Obiakpu in Imo, some of which were later used to erect buildings.

This, Arthur-Ugwa said, ?neither changes Okiro?s ancestry nor diminishes his bonafide right as an indigene of Rivers?.

He, therefore, decried what he described as ?politics of rancour? on the part of the purveyors of the rumour about Okiro?s ancestry, describing them as ?detractors?, who did not mean well for the organisation.

He said: ?Ohanaeze Ndigbo has wisely ceded the position of its President-General to Rivers, so it is only normal that we allow the state produce candidates for the election rather than seek to discredit the organisation and the Igbo nation.

?Igboanyaka and all those interested in acting as political jobbers and rumour mongers must desist at this point and allow for a smooth election and transition.

?For the records, Ohanaeze youths consider Okiro as a father and mentor, hold nothing against his candidacy and therefore dissociate ourselves from all claims made by faceless self-imposed youths, who are only looking to use the rumours as a means to seek attention.?

Arthur-Ugwa, therefore, called on all members of Ohanaeze to line up behind Okiro.

?His vast experience is of great importance at this point in our history as a people,? he said. (NAN)