Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) Worldwide has expressed disappointment over the alleged plot by some cabals in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to zone the vice presidential slot to the South West zone against the interest of the South East region.
It said if the reports circulating in the media turned out to be true, the group would help to bury the PDP in 2019; warning, however, that the patience of Ndigbo should not be taken for granted.
These were contained in a statement signed by its Deputy President General, Obinna Achuonye, and Deputy National PRO, Alex Osaka, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
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“The attention of OYC Worldwide has been drawn to a malicious report and nefarious plot that PDP had concluded plans to zone the vice presidency to South West or South South over the South East quest to occupy the position in 2019.
“This clandestine plot is barbaric, satanic and will never see the light of the day if it happens to be a reality. OYC insists that the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, should clarify this allegation immediately before Ndigbo, especially the youths.
“We wish to remind the originators of this malicious plot against Ndigbo, that the Igbo have paid their price in PDP since 1999. It’s morally wrong to return the vice presidency to either South West or South South after the two political zones had occupied the highest office of the president in 1999 in the persons of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and in 2010, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, leaving South East out in the cold.
“Those claiming that South East has the least voters r egistered, should remember the Igbo are everywhere in Nigeria and from our records, in 19 Northern states, we have 12.5 million votes and 5 million votes in the South West. And how can you compare South East with only five states with South West and South South that have six states each?
“Those claiming that no South East governor is interested in funding the party are telling lies. Have these governors not been funding the party in their various states? PDP should name one of these governors the vice presidential candidate and see the massive support they will get across Nigeria.
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“If PDP will pick a newly elected governor of Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 1999 as vice presidential candidate to Obasanjo, and named also a newly elected governor of Bayelsa then in the person of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the running mate to late Musa Yar’adua, then a sitting governor of Kaduna in the person of Namadi Sambo to former president Jonathan as his vice president, then PDP should pick one of the South East governors as the vice presidential candidate in 2019. “OYC said.