Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Youth wing of the Igbo social cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has ruled out the chances of former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha representing the Igbo as their presidential candidate in 2023 , describing him as unfit to rule the country.

National publicity secretary of the Igbo youth group, chief Osmond Nkeoma disclosed this to Sunday Sun in Owerri yesterday. According to him, the former governor did not record any achievement while in office as a governor to justify his rating and adoption as aspirant or candidate by Ohanaeze.

Nkeoma posited that his flops during his tenure can never be entertained, maintaining that the 2023 presidency is a serious project to Ohanaeze and Ndigbo which he said should never be toiled with.

“Okoroccha’s eight years tenure is a monumental waste to the people of Imo, we can not afford to waste that as a nation, he is not fit to be the president of Igbo extraction . Let him open the flyovers that he built for people to pass, let him rebuilt the China roads that he built, and we can start talking from there.” Nkeoma said.

However, the Igbo youth group has recommended former governor of Anambra State and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP) Peter Obi and World Trade Organisation (WTO) candidate, Okonjo Iweala as good representatives from the southeast to vie for the position.

On Umahi’s cross over to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APAC) from PDP, the Ohanaeze scribe described his move as a welcome development, “what we need is the potential of the individual, as long as he identified with the two major parties in the country, he is accepted.”

“We need not put all our eggs in one basket, but we have to line up our best and Obi, Iweala and Umahi are good products, this is the stand of the youths.” Nkeoma said.

Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze youth body has rejected any move by governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on his alleged presidential ambition, describing his purported interest as a distraction to Ndigbo.

“We can not support Wike this time whether he is contesting or not, we see his rumoured intention as a distraction, He said he is from Niger Delta, so that should not concern us, what we are doing is in the best interest of Ndigbo” Nkeoma said.

Also, another youth group known as the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COESYL) has warned Wike of his utterances against the move of Umahi to APC. According to the group, the Ebonyi State governor It noted has the right to belong to any party of his choice.

President General of COESYL, Goodluck Ibem in a press statement he issued to newsmen in Owerri yesterday said “Governor Nyesom Wike should stop behaving as if he is the governor of all the 36 states in Nigeria and so must decide what will happen in the PDP.

” He is just a governor of only one state and should be mindful of his utterance towards the people of Southeast. Governor Umahi have the right to move from PDP to APC and Wike should respect that. Making an issue over Umahi’s defection to APC is totally unacceptable to Ndigbo.” Ibem said.

Ibem further stated. “The move by Governor Dave Umahi to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, is great boost to the chances of the South-East geopolitical zone getting the presidential ticket of the party come 2023.

“His defection has broaden the base, formation and spread of the ruling party in the zone. We are very happy that he made such a wise move for the interest of Ndigbo. South East can now boldly hit their chest and said we have a stake in the ruling party and we should be given the opportunity of producing someone who will fly the party’s presidential ticket come 2023. Ibem stated.