Igbo youths under the aegis of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders have warned Ohanaeze Ndigbo not to welcome presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, who is scheduled to visit the region this week.
The group accused Tinubu of causing confusion and division among Igbo leaders with his planned visit to the South East.
A statement by the President General of the group, Goodluck Ibem, said Tinubu never bothered about visiting the South East during his party’s presidential primaries campaign as well as visiting the flood victims in the zone.
The statement read in part, “Tinubu has never hidden his disdain for the people of South East and now that the elections are here, he suddenly needs their support and endorsement.
“Prior to the APC presidential primaries, Senator Bola Tinubu visited all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria to canvass for votes from APC delegates but he never visited any South-East states to campaign during their party’s primaries.
“Why is he coming to South East now that the presidential election is around the corner to look for endorsement from the same people he despised and looked down on.
“The recent flooding that ravaged so many states and communities in Nigeria, Tinubu never visited any South East state to sympathise with them, rather he went to Kano State and gave N100 million to flood victims in the state.
“Maybe to Tinubu, the people of South East are less human which informs his action and now he is coming to the same people he ignored for endorsement.
“Tinubu’s recent activity has proved that he enjoys bringing confusion and divisions among socio-cultural organisations.
“The apex socio-cultural organisation in South West, Afenifere ably led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo endorsed Mr Peter Obi as their presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential elections and Senator Bola Tinubu approached Pa Reuben Fasoranti and some other members of Afenifere for the same endorsement which has been given wholeheartedly to Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP.
“Ohanaeze has endorsed Mr Peter Obi as her presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election and the same Tinubu wants to bring confusion by bribing some corrupt South-East governors and Ohanaeze members,” the state said.
