Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, on Monday, described the alleged suspension of the National Youth Leader of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Engr Damian Okafor, as unconstitutional.
Equally describing the alleged suspension as illegal, Governor Umahi, noted that it was uncalled for, for a group of persons to converge and suspend the only Ebonyi representative in the apex Igbo youth sociocultural organisation, who was duly elected by its National Executive Council.
The governor was quoted to have said this in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Francis Nwaze, a copy of which was made available to The PUNCH, on Monday.
According to Umahi, in the statement, “The purported suspension of the National Youth Leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Comrade Damian Okafor, is illegal and unconstitutional.
“It was illogical for a group of persons to have alleged to have suspended the Ebonyi State representative in the body that was duly elected by the National Executive Council.
“I learned of what was happening when some people came together and said they have suspended the National Youth Leader of Ohaneze, for me, it is not correct and it is not something anybody should give any attention to, the Constitution is there, you were elected by NEC and it is only NEC that can suspend you.
“Ohaneze Ndigbo should not be politically motivated and we stand against that. Defend the course of Ndigbo, because you have PDP members and you have APC members, the moment you start defending one person, then you are now partisan and it is not right.
“Nobody can remove any officer that is zoned to Ebonyi and elected by the NEC, nobody, even if the Youth Leader is standing alone, even if this wonderful men and women are not supporting, he remains the Youth Leader and nobody can remove him from office.
“I commended the Youth Wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Comrade Damian Okafor and urged them to lend their voice to the Igbo course in 2023.
“I want you to note it and note it very well because I will also not allow you to downgrade the status of Ohaneze, you people should not attack the leaders, it is only when people are attacking the course of Ndigbo, then you have to respond and defend that.
“Let us just be decent by our cultural values to do things very decently and please be the youth leader to APGA States, PDP States, and the APC States,” the statement read in part.
Copyright PUNCH.
