By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki – Coalition of Ebonyi Youths Organisation, under the aegis of 2019 Buhari /Ogbuoji Youth Support Network, on Saturday in Abakaliki, declared support to the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
The group also said it was committed to ensuring the emergence of Sen. Sonni Ogbuoji as the next governor of Ebonyi in 2019.
The group embarked on a solidarity road walk to mobilise the youths of Ebonyi for the re-election of Buhari and the election of Ogbuoji.
The group said its commitment to the projects were due to Buhari’s outstanding performance and credible representation of Ogbuoji.
The spokesman of the coalition, Mr Eseni Ukoh, in an interview with journalists after the road walk, said that Buhari has demonstrated his ability to take Nigeria to the next level.
“What Nigerians want is good and transparent governance that will stimulate economic growth and development to improve the standard of living of the people”, Ukoh said.
“The president promised to tackle insecurity, corruption, power, unemployment; improve infrastructure and agriculture and his achievements in these areas can be seen everywhere.
“Ogbuoji is the only aspirant among other aspirants from the various political parties that possesses the experience, capacity and capability to wrest power from the ruling People’s Democratic Party in the state.
“He is a sitting senator, a former Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation and one time chairman of the old Afikpo Local Government Area.
“His entry into the All Progressives Congress (APC) has helped to restructure and reposition the party and the evidence is what we are witnessing today.
“We are appealing to both the national and state leadership of APC to give him the party’s ticket and to let them know that no other aspirant that can deliver Ebonyi people from bad governance than Ogbuoji”, he added.
The coordinator who also spoke on the alleged recall of Ogbuoji by some group allegedly sponsored by politicians in the state, described the exercise as a show of ‘shame’ and an exercise in futility.
“They are only being afraid of the senator because they know that he is the only person that has all it takes to oust the sitting governor.
“These people are very jittery and that is why they have employed all sorts of devious, laughable and anti – democratic means to distract the senator.
“There are processes to follow in recalling a serving lawmaker by his or her constituents and not at a political rally.
“Ogbuoji is the only credible, experienced and competent person to lead the state and take Ebonyi people from the shackles of heavy taxation, political stagnation and general maladministration,” Ukoh said.
The spokesman stressed that the coalition with membership drawn from across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi would not rest on its oars until Buhari is re-elected in 2019 and Ogbuoji emerged the next Ebonyi governor.
The Legislative Assistant to Ogbuoji, Mr Ifeanyi Ogba who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), commended the youths for the solidarity march and urged youths to support the re-election of Buhari and Ogbuoji ‘s gubernatorial aspiration.
“This is not a political rally, it is a road walk organised by a coalition of about five youths organisations to support the re-election of Buhari and the election of Ogbuoji as governor.
“The road walk commenced from Ishieke park at Water Works Road through Vanco and moved down to Ogbuoji ‘s campaign office along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway.
“I commend the youths for the orderly conduct and the display of their zeal for a change in the governance of Ebonyi in 2019.
(NAN)