Samuel Ugbor, Abakaliki
The leadership of the apex socio-cultural youth organisation in Igbo land, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, on Sunday, lambasted the spokesperson for the Alaigbo Development Foundation, Chief Abia Onyike, over his media attack against Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi.
The Igbo youths described the attack as a calculated attempt to incite and instigate Ebonyi citizens against the Governor, saying attack was unbecoming on the image of the Governor, who it claimed , had done well for the people.
According to the Igbo youths, “Those making the allegations of illegal disposal of Ebonyi State properties in Lagos by the present administration are political jobbers, desparadoes and men of questionable character.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council stated this in a statement signed by its President-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro and the Secretary General, Okwu Nnabuike, a copy of which was made available to dfcnews, on Sunday.
The group claimed it had carried out thorough checks and investigations on the alleged sale of properties belonging to the state in Lagos, Abuja, Abia and other states, and found that there was no evidence of such illegal transaction, anywhere.
The Igbo youth body urged critics to always crosscheck their facts before attacking those overseeing the affairs of Ndigbo, adding that Governor Umahi was innocent of such allegations and had done nothing wrong to be cast in bad light, as had been done by ‘political jobbers’.
The group said, “OYC has watched with keen interests the activities of Alaigbo Development Foundation, recently the leader of the group, openly resigned from the Southeast Security Committee in protest against the decision of Southeast Governors to embrace community policing”.
“His resignation was aimed at making caricatures of the Governors as being weak leaders, and after a fortnight, the spokesman of the group, raised false alarm over alleged sale of Ebonyi State Properties”
“We sue for peace and urge Alaigbo Development Foundation to refrain from attention seeking and stop unnecessary confrontations with the Southeast Governors, or there might be severe sanctions against the Leadership of the group in the future, if they remain unrepentant”.
“Igbo Youths therefore urge Ebonyi State Governor Chief David Umahi Umahi to ignore the verbal attack of Chief Abia Onyuike and forgive him. It is our believe that soon he will understand later that your administration means well to all good people of Ebonyi State at home and in diaspora”.
