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Politics of Saturday, 7 January 2023

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2023: Ebonyi youth group rejects APC gov candidate

Some youths in Ebonyi State said they have rejected the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, Francis Nwifuru, ahead of the 2023 general election.

Mr Nwifuru is the incumbent speaker of the State Assembly, who was endorsed by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State as his preferred successor.

But the youths, under the aegis of Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum, said that they were not comfortable with the “political disposition” of the APC candidate, Vanguard newspaper reported.

They said they need a candidate that will not only protect their interest but also govern the people of the state with the “fear of God” in 2023.

The group, in a communique released Weekend, endorsed the governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP), Edward Nkwegu, as its sole candidate for the 2023 general election.

The communique was signed by the chairperson, Board of Trustees of the youth group, Maurice Mbam; its pioneer president, Edward Nwenu, and the immediate past president, Michael Nwambam, among others.

The group said their position was in line with “equity, fairness and justice” and called on the people of the Izzi Nnodo Clan both home and abroad to join hands to support the LP candidate, Mr Nkwegu, in the 2023 general election in the state.

“This will bring peace, unity and progress, not only in Izzi land, but to the entire Ebonyi State. The support to Sir Edward Nkwegu is as a result of credibility, charity of purpose and unity of Izzi land,” the communique read in part.

The group vowed that it will not allow “any form of political hooliganism, threats to life and property” just as it condemned any form of “victimisation, undue violence, undue influence, and vote buying” during the political period.

“We request the state government to give all the political parties a level playing ground, to exercise their franchise,” it said.

The group appealed to the people of Ohaukwu to reciprocate the support that Izzi people gave to their brother and former governor of the state, Sam Egwu, when he contested the governorship and senatorial elections in the state.

“We remind our brothers from the Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, to give us their support as we supported their brother, Chief Martins Nwanchor Elechi so as to produce the next governor of this state come 2023 general elections,” it stated.

“We equally remind our brothers from the Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone to remember that Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum first declared to shift power to go to the southern zone of the state at the Teachers’ Training College, Igneagu in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, and this later led to the emergence of Governor David Nweze Umahi in 2015 till date,” the group added.

Background

The people of Ebonyi North District have repeatedly insisted that it is their turn to produce a governor of the state in 2023 in line with zoning arrangements in the state.

The district has four local government areas – Izzi, Ebonyi, Abakaliki and Ohaukwu.

Mr Nkwegu contested the APC governorship ticket in May, but lost to Mr Nwifuru during the party primary.

He later defected to the LP where he emerged the party’s candidate for the 2023 general election.

Messrs Nwifuru and Nkwegu hail from Izzi Local Government Area of the state and Ebonyi North District.

However, the duo hail from separate communities in the council area within the district.