The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has commended the people of the South-East for going ahead to re-elect Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and David Umahi of Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi, respectively.
This formed part of a statement issued by the group on Tuesday, where it also pleaded with candidates who lost in the elections to concede defeat.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council had endorsed the trio for the elections owing to their performances in office.
In the press statement signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council worldwide and Engr Odera Udutchay, Deputy Secretary General, they said “there was no need to change a winning team in the Southeast.”
It read further: “We congratulate the Governors-elect, Okezie Ikpeazu, David Umahi, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Emeka Ihedioha on their victories at the polls. This is a new challenge for them to collectively re-position Southeast through collective collaboration, partnership and mutual understanding, which should yield adequate dividends of democracy by positively partnering with Federal Government.
“We hope to see the revamp of Enugu Coal Mine (closed for 46 years now). We expect more job opportunities in Enyimba Economic City (the new Dubai)in Aba. We expect Sam Mbakwe Airport upgraded to full International airport in Owerri, and commencement of Nkalagu cement factory in full operation/establishment of Salt factory in Uburu. Igbo Youths are full of hope.
“Ohanaeze Youths will reach out to other guber candidates in various states that contested with the Governors-elect in Southeast to mellow down and accept the people’s verdict as the wish of the Almighty God. There’s no need to waste resources in litigation to disrupt governance in Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states during the next four years. We equally encourage the Govs-elect to extend the hands of friendship to the other guber contestants in their various States, and mostly accommodate their followers in their Cabinet.
“We applauded Ndigbo for making it possible for equity to reign in the Southeast by ensuring that in Abia, the charter equity was respected by allowing Ukwa/Ngwa Axis to complete their tenure ,likewise in Ebonyi where the Ebonyi South was allowed to win in the person of Gov Dave Umahi. Equity reigned supreme in Enugu where Nsukka zone was re elected in the person of Gov Ugwuanyi, and with the victory of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha from Owerri Zone, especially Mbaise, for the first term, Ndi Imo got it right.
“We advise all the Governors-elect in Southeast to ensure that they should partner with federal government and get the desired result for Ndigbo and ensure ongoing federal road projects are completed, and the second Niger Bridge.
“More importantly, they should consider youths for various positions in their cabinets; the recycling of old politicians in their cabinets will be resisted, and we will not tolerate further any form of godfatherism in Igbo land again; it is the bane of development in some states in Southeast. We have set up machinery to deal with any perceived godfather obstructing governance in the zone.”
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