From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2023 governorship election in Ebonyi State, Prof. Benard Odoh, has been urged to withdraw his suit at the Elections Petition Tribunal against Governor Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Youths from Ezza North area of the state where Odoh hails from under the aegis of Ezza North Youths General Assembly made the appeal at the weekend.
They said the appeal was in the interest of peace and development of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Nwifuru who was the candidate of APC winner of the election after he scored 199,131 votes to defeat Ifenayi Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 80, 191 votes, while Odoh polled 52,189 votes to take third place in the elections.
But Odoh rejected the declaration and proceeded to the Election Petition Tribunal where he is currently challenging the declaration. The youths in a communiqué signed by Emeka Nwokporo and Mr. Titus Eze, and 20 others called on the former University don to withdraw the suit and join hands with Governor Nwifuru to move the state forward.
The communiqué reads in part: “The apex youth organization hereby seizes this opportunity to call on our dear brother, Prof. Benard Ifeanyi Odo to as a matter of patriotism retrace his steps by accepting the result of the last concluded governorship election in the state; withdraw the electoral petition instituted against the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru FNIOB FCAI GGCEHF at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
“Prof. Odo has fought gallantly during the election and failed. Therefore, he should be bound by the brotherly bond between Ezza and Izzi people by taking a positive side with his brother, Governor Nwifuru instead of pitching tenth with him on the wrong side.
As a matter of urgency, we call on the traditional rulers, super stakeholders, and religious leaders from Ezza extraction, especially His Lordship, the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Bishop Peter Nworie Chukwu to prevail on Prof. Odo to show the spirit of sportsmanship by accepting defeat; withdraw the suit instituted against the Governor from the court, and join hands with him to move the state forward as Izzi and Ezza people are brothers and when two brothers fight to death, the enemies will inherit their property.