Only APC members endorsed Ebonyi APC Guber candidate, not entire Ezza-Ezekuna clan—Group claims
From Chinedu Nwafor Abakaliki
A political pressure group, Unwu-Ekumenyi movement, said those who gathered at the sacred Nchionu, Okpoku Ezekuna ancestral home in Onueke, the Ezza South Local Government headquarters, on Sunday, September, 4th 2022, in the name of endorsement of the Guber candidate of the APC in the State, Mr Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, were merely APC elders and their followers, and shouldn’t be taken to mean the decision of the clan of Ezza-Ezekuna clan.
The group urged the general public to disregard what it described as a purported endorsement of Mr Nwifuru, by Ezza-Ezekuna clan.
Stakeholders of Ezza-Ezekuna clan of Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone, met on Sunday, September, 2022, and endorsed Nwifuru from Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, as their sole governorship candidate.
A statement released by Unwu-Ekumenyi Youth Movement, on Sunday, which was signed by Comr. Samchi Mgbada JP, President General and native of Ezza North LGA; Mr Egwu Anosike Solomon, Secretary General and native of Ikwo LGA; Sir Nwiboko Andre O, the PRO and native of Ebonyi LGA; Barr. Nwebor Alfred, Legal Adviser and native of Ohaukwu LGA; and Mr. Oseh L. M, Organizing Secretary and native of Ishielu LGA, and made available to Journalists in Abakaliki on Sunday, said the endorsement was ill-motivated and aimed at causing division in Ezza-Ezekuna clan and urged people to disregard it.
Part of the statement reads:”It has come to the knowledge of Unwu-Ekumenyi Youth Movement, a meeting convened by some leaders and stakeholders of Ezza Ezekuna scheduled to take place today, Sunday, September 4th, 2022 at the sacred Nchionu, Okpoku Ezekuna ancestral home in Onueke, the Ezza South Local Government headquarters.
“This group, which translates to the descendants of Ekumenyi consisting more than two-third of the population of Ebonyi State drawn from the Central and Northern Senatorial districts; and part of Ebonyi South district(Onicha and Ivo Local government Areas) where they live in their reasonable numbers, authoritatively learnt that the chief aim of the gathering by the elders who are all members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC Ebonyi State of Ezza Ezekuna origin and their ennoblers is to endorse and adopt as their own choice, the disputed candidate of the Party for the 2023 Governorship election and Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru.
“Whereas, as ‘loyal’ Party elders, leaders and members, the ‘factional’ APC apologists who are mainly from the two mother Local Governments of Ezza North and South are at liberty to choose, endorse or support any candidate of their choice for the 2023 elections, this group gravely frowns at the desperation of the Ebonyi APC to drag the entire Ezza nation into such partisanship at this time in it’s history.
“As a group comprised of reasonable and responsible youths of the great Ezza Ezekuna nation, we wish to clarify and posit for the sake of our envisioned posterity, rational equity and good conscience as follows:
“That this action is ill-motivated as we believe it is only meant to cause division, disunity and perhaps disrupt the existing peace and harmony between and among great Ezza Ezekuna sons and daughters as they are all members of different political parties.
“That we consider this action as a desecration of our sacred Nchionu Okpoku Ezekuna ancestral home where only decisions that border on the welfare and wellbeing of great Ezza Ezekuna sons and daughters worldwide are discussed and agreed upon only by “umu Ochimkpurus” (elders who such honour and privilege are bestowed upon) and who are divinely appointed or ordained for that purpose.
“That the said APC irredentists disguised as ‘leaders of Ezza Ezekuna’, is led by Hon. Innocent Ugo Chima- a one time House of Representatives member and a serving Chairman of the Governing Board, Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Most of the other leaders involved in this charade specially targeted at causing disaffection among the Ezzas are equally holding one appointment or the other either at the Federal or State level under the ruling APC. Some others are even flag bearer of the same APC for various elective offices ahead the 2023 general elections.
“That as youths, we rather advise these APC elders and followers who should have known better, the implications of their misguided actions and conducts to adopt any candidate they choose to without dragging the good people of Ezza nation, their ancestors and lovers into the mud of their shameful racketeer called endorsement.
“That we would not, we repeat, we will NEVER sit idly and watch our elders many of who are in the departure lounge of their political careers, derail our culture, traditions and customs, thereby making a mockery of our ancestors all in the name of their selfish politics for self-aggrandizement.
“That this call for caution against their desperate political extremism has become more important due to the fact that a great Ezza Ezekuna son, Professor Benard Odoh is already in the Ebonyi 2023 Governorship race as the only leading candidate who’s All Progressives Grand Alliance ticket is not in any form of dispute whatsoever in the State. He is as a matter of fact, the most competent, credible and most eminently qualified by experience and capacity to pilot the affairs of our dear State. These facts, we are aware, are already being attested to by many stakeholders in the Ebonyi project across and beyond the Central, Northern and Southern Senatorial zones of the State which among numerous others include serving and past political, business and spiritual leaders and elders in Ebonyi and beyond.
“We hereby invite members of the discerning public to please kindly disregard any form of purported endorsement of Nwifuru as the choice of Ezza Ezekuna for the 2023 Governorship election under any guise by the Ezza APC elders, leaders or their followers whatsoever. Such a gathering which we believe is rather induced than genuine is regrettable and should therefore be immediately wished away and discarded by every reasonable son, daughter and lover of Ezza Ezekuna.”END//
