2019: Ohanaeze splits as Nwodo’s loyalists attack youth congress

The leadership of Ohanaeze Youth Wing in South South on Tuesday dismissed comments credited to Ohanaeze Youth Congress about President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo.

OYC, had in a statement issued on Monday accused him of mortgaging the interest of Ndigbo.

The OYC’s statement followed its meeting held in Enugu, where it passed a vote of no confidence on Nwodo, who they accused of sidelining other members of the Ohanaeze National Executive Council.

Reacting, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Coordinator of Ohanaeze in South-South, described the claim as baseless and false.

He claimed that those parading themselves as national leaders of the youth wing of Ohanaeze were misleading the public.

Arthur-Ugwa said: “We were surprised that some defunct members of Ohanaeze Youth Wing issued a statement accusing the President General of meddling into 2019 presidential elections.

“To state the facts, the allegations are fabricated by expelled members of the youth group at the national level to attract public sympathy; there is no truth in the allegation.

“The President-General has been working at uniting Igbos all over the world and recently was in Bayelsa as part of his efforts in restructuring and repositioning Ndigbo in a restructured federation.

“Nwodo also waded into leadership crisis in Ohaneze Ndigbo Bayelsa chapter, is this what they call politics?

“The President-General categorically said that he was not interested in personal gains from the struggle for restructuring, so the allegation is a mere ploy by disgruntled persons parading themselves as Ohanaeze youth leaders.

“The National Executives of Ohanaeze Youth Wing was dissolved by Ime-Obi and National Executive Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2017 and we are getting set for elections later this month, so they are misleading the people.

“The leadership at the state levels in the South East and South South condemn and dissociate ourselves from the statement and frown at the disrespect to our revered elders and leaders in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, our parent body.

“We urge the errant youths to refrain from using the media to discredit the organisation and show commitment towards building of a united front for Ndigbo.”