By Adadainfo
The Igbo socio-cultural group,
Ohanaeze, Friday, called on the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) to eschew ethnic chauvinism as the 2023 general elections draw nearer.
Ohanaeze was reacting to the warning issued by the group against the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, in the 2023 election.
COSEYL allegedly ‘warned groups and individuals promoting the presidential ambition of Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu to steer clear of the zone’.
The group was further quoted to have said that it was ‘unfortunate how certain persons from Igbo land would allow themselves to be used to promote the ambition of a man who is outdated in all ramifications in the scheme of things to be voted as a Nigerian president come 2023’.
Ohanaeze advised against such remarks in a statement made by its national publicity secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia.
Dr Ogbonnia said Ndigbo ‘acknowledge the inalienable rights of individuals and groups to express their views on national issues, but advise that such rights should not infringe on the rights of other Nigerian citizens’.
The release added, “Each of the presidential candidates has every right to campaign and canvass for votes in all parts of the country.
“Since the presidential candidates of the South East or Igbo extraction enjoy an untrammelled access and mass followership in other geopolitical zones of the country, it is a political self-immolation and indeed highly unreflective for COSEYL to embark on a misstep that may diminish the Igbo patina for inter-ethnic friendliness.
“Emphasis is further drawn that the statement by the COSEYL is at variance with the Igbo character of liberality, hospitality, frontier spirit and accommodation of diverse interests.
“The South-East constituency has sufficient political awareness or enlightenment to assess the presidential candidates as they visit the South East to market their manifestoes and canvass for votes.
“Itis a subversion of the democratic process and indeed a potent source of national crises for candidates to perceive threats or hostility from groups within the country.
“While we share in the passion and grievances of the Igbo youth, maturity is still needed in our political activism to eschew ultra-ethnic chauvinism.”
