ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, has cautioned the youths in the South-East to stop inciting ethnic tension, as anyone is free to campaign and solicit for votes in any part of the country.
The group stated this while reacting to a statement by Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL), who had asked promoters of the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Presidency to keep off the zone.
But in reaction, the OYC said that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu is free to come and solicit for votes in the South-East.
The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, in a statement made available on Friday, cautioned the group against stoking unnecessary political tension in the zone.
In the statement signed by Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of OYC, he said it was unjustifiable for any person to ban Tinubu or any other person from soliciting for votes in the South-East.
According to Okwu, the Ohanaeze would not sit by and watch any form of divisive politics, which he described as “the major factor that has kept Nigeria down for such a very long time.”
He said, “Every Nigerian reserved the right to campaign for candidates of their choice, by marketing such a person convincingly to the electorate.
“Politics of bitterness and acrimony will not take Nigeria anywhere, especially as the country is presently operating at its lowest ebb. There is no doubt that the country has never been this divided and this is why campaigns should be on issues and not ethnicity.
“Having said this, we make bold to say that Tinubu’s promoters are free to campaign for him anywhere in Igboland.
“Similarly, other presidential candidates should also have a smooth sail in taking their campaign to every part of the country.
“Ndigbo remain a very accommodating tribe in Nigeria, known for their hospitality and we are never going to lose that status in spite of provocations.”
The group urged Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), on a transparent process through which Nigerians would freely make their choice.”
It also advised all interest groups in the South-East, under whatever guise, to exercise restraint and not take actions that would lead to regrets in the future.