Igbo youths criticise the court for dismissing the newly elected governor of Abia
The alleged dismissal of Dr. Alex Otti, the newly elected governor of Abia, by a Federal High Court in Kano was denounced by Igbo youths operating under the auspices of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, or COSEYL, on Friday. They called the decision an ambush against democracy.
In a statement released by COSEYL, its president, General Goodluck Ibem, issued a warning against the court being used to undermine Nigeria's democracy by desperate politicians and anti-democratic elements.
The leading Igbo socio-political youth organisation said that Peter Obi, the candidate for president of the Labour Party, was the real goal of those responsible for the contentious ruling.
Igbo youths issued a warning to anyone involved in a plot to topple Abia State or any other state in the South East, saying they would vehemently oppose such unpatriotic ideas.
The complete wording of the statement provided to Bendelnews is shown below:"The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the foremost sociopolitical youth organisation in the South East geopolitical zone, has been made aware of a court decision from a Federal High Court in Kano State, filed by Mr. Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim, who is not even a native of Abia State or any Igbo speaking state, nullifying the candidature Featuring Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, the incoming governor of Abia, as well as other candidates who won on the Labour Party, LP's ballot in Abia State.
"This judgement and those who are sponsoring it are doing so because they believe that Abia State, the only state at the moment with a governor-elect who is a member of the Labour Party, LP, will sponsor her presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi's Presidential ElectionTribunal matter, which the Labour party failed the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In an effort to increase ethnic tension that has already been heightened by the outgoing administration, a fifth columnist's nefarious plot to ignite a war between the Igbo and the North will fail.
"No Igbo guy has ever lost a case to a Northern governor, and the North will try to dampen the jubilation of the Abia people and Ndigbo. This insanity needs to end right away.
Any evidence to the contrary was created by the person who filed the matter and his sponsors, according to Dr. Alex Chioma Otti and the Labour Party, LP, who presented the register of their party members within the time frame required by the 2022 Electoral Law. The fact remains that the Labour Party adhered to all legal procedures before their party's primaries and should thus be left alone.
"Igbo youths are seriously advising anyone attempting to dampen Abian pleasure to cease from their efforts or else they will have to deal with Igbo youths. Target practise should not be conducted in Abia State with the intention of undermining our fought-for democracy.
"While appealing the case at the Federal Court of Appeal, we urge the Governor-Elect Dr. Alex Otti to remain unfazed and concentrate on creating the Abia of our dreams.
"We caution the APC and her cohorts to leave Abians to enjoy this new air delivered to Abia State by God via Dr. Alex Otti.