National Igbo Youths Council slams northern youth coalition for opposing Peter Obi's candidacy

IGBO and northern youth groups have been engaged in a bitter exchange of words over the selection of former Anambra State governor Peter Obi as the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for next year's elections.

Earlier this month, former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar clinched the PDP's presidential ticket and proceeded to select Governor Obi as his running mate. However, Governor Obi's candidature attracted some criticism, first from several Igbo governors who said they were not consulted and then from the Coalition of Northern Youths Group (CNYG) who claimed he is anti-north.

Raising the political temperature in the country, the CNYG said it would not support the selection of Governor Obi because he was one of the backers of Igbo secessionist group the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob). During a recent visit to former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the CNYG asked him to prevail on Alhaji Abubakar to review the choice or it would mobilise its over 6m members to vote against the PDP.

According to CNYG, over 70% of the emirs and other traditional rulers in the north will not support Alhaji Abubakar's choice of running mate Governor Obi. CNYG chairman Elliot Afiyo, asked that the PDP consider picking a running mate from the south-south geo-political zone instead, suggesting that either Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State or his Bayelsa State counterpart Seriake Dickson be considered.

In a swift reaction, however, the National Igbo Youths Council (NIYC), lambasted the CNYG  for mentioning Governor Obi as one of the sponsors of Biafran separatist movements. NIYC, currently comprised of the Eastern Peoples Youth Congress (EPYC), Eastern Youths Progressive Movement (EYPM), Igbo Youths Forum (IYF) and Concerned Igbo Citizens (CIC), said the humility and simplicity of Governor Obi and his subsequent nomination has made their political detractors afraid.

After a meeting, in Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday, the EPYC chairman Sebastian Okiro, on behalf of NIYC, reiterated his support and acceptance of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as the presidential and vice presidential candidate of the PDP. He added that that Ndigbo has never opposed the candidacies of northern politicians and wondered why the northern youths should dictate or direct which candidate will emerge from Igboland.

Mr Okiro said: “This sponsored statement from our counterpart in the northern region is a political insult to Ndigbo and is capable of igniting political rancour among the Arewa and Igbo youths. Peter Obi has never sponsored or been a backbone for Biafra agitation as alleged by northern Youths.

"It is on record that before the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from prison and during his stays, tours, rallies and private visitations, he did not have any contact with Mr Peter Obi and during his recent broadcast, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not mention or acknowledge Peter Obi. It is still on record that Peter Obi does not sponsor other pro-Biafra group leaders like Comrade Uchenna Madu of the Movement for the actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike of the Biafra Independence Movement (Bim) Barrister Onwuka Kalu of the Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM) and others, so how did the northern youths arrive at their allegations that Peter Obi is a major sponsor of Biafra agitation?"

He urged Nigerian youths and the entire electorate to ignore the sponsored media attacks on the person of Peter Obi by the northern youths. According to Mr Okiro, Peter Obi has been a nationalist that has a grassroots base and followers in every state of Nigeria and he has established his philanthropic, youth empowerment, academic/economic and human development projects in northern Nigeria and other parts of the country.

Mr Okiro said Governor Obi has good relationships with leaders in northern Nigeria and as an expert in economics, he has initiated a series of measures for Nigeria to be liberated from her overwhelming failures. He asked why the northern youths have not commended Governor Obi for these initiatives.