Maintain neutral stance on choice of successor, Ebonyi youths write Umahi

Ahead of 2023 general election, a youth group from Ebonyi State has charged Governor David Umahi to remain neutral on the choice of his successor.

The youth under the platform of Ebonyi Solidarity Movement (ESM) gave Governor Umahi the advice in an open letter jointly signed by Mr Peter Oyon, its National coordinator and Mr Chijoke Ogah, national secretary among others.

They also copied Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and four other National Working Committee (NWC) members.

They however noted that the governor and leaders of the APC in the state deserve to avoid acts capable of undermining the party.

The youth then advocated wider dialogues and consultations with aspirants for different elective positions in the APC to ensure the emergence of acceptable consensus candidates across the board.

The letter read: “Your Excellency, we are worried over the recent endorsement orchestrated by people who are mainly appointees of your government even when the zoning committee constituted by APC was yet to submit her report.

“We welcome the idea of the constitution of the zoning committee by the party and wish they hasten up the assignment to submit their report.

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“The situation in the state viz-a-viz choosing of candidates especially governorship candidate should be by dialogues and proper consultations.

“Your Excellency has once said that you are neutral on the choice of your successor and we will like you to maintain that stance.

“The action of traditional rulers who are under the control of state government and some of your appointees endorsing Nwifuru is ominous and sends wrong signals.

“They should be called to order to restore confidence and avert an impending crisis within the ranks of the party.

“We see the alleged endorsement as an affront to the party and to all known party apparatchik which is capable of polarising APC in Ebonyi and causing unrest in our peaceful state.

“This is a transition era that deserves all carefulness to avoid acts capable of undermining the party and all that you have worked hard to achieve.

“But, where it is not possible for consensus to emerge, credible primaries should be conducted to select the candidate or candidates as that is the only roadmap to victory in APC and peace in our state,” the group said.