Ohanaeze youths want political parties to present youths as Anambra governorship candidates

YOUTHS of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio- cultural organization, have urged political parties presenting candidates for the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State to ensure that a youth emerges the next governor of the state.

Rising from a meeting, in Awka weekend, a coalition of Ohanaeze youth groups observed that non recognition of the youths in politics contributed significantly to the ongoing agitations in South East. Though, the youths faulted the stand of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that governorship election would not hold in Anambra State, they said that they, however, identified with the demands of the Biafra agitators. Coordinator of Peace Ambassadors and Eastern Forum of Ohanaeze, Mr. Chizzy Umeobi and Mr. Christopher Okoli, treasurer of Ohanaeze youths, insisted that Anambra election must hold, adding, however, that political parties that failed to produce a youth as its candidate would not get the blessing and support of Anambra youths. Umeobi said: “It is this neglect of the youths by political parties in the South East that is causing the agitations by IPOB, MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups. What we are saying is that youths should be given a chance to contest the November 18 governorship election and we have such youths in all the political parties. “We assure any party that fails to give its ticket to a youth that it will fail the governorship election. We don’t belong to any political party, but we need a youth in the system.