Ohanaeze Youth Wing lacks powers to discipline its parent body –Youth Leader

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Coordinator of Ohanaeze Youth wing in South South says the youth arm of Ohanaeze Ndigbo had no disciplinary powers over its parent body.

Arthur-Ugwa who spoke in reaction to a seven day ultimatum purportedly issued to President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and subsequent suspension by the youth wing of the group.

The youth leader noted that it was traditionally wrong and out of sync with the constitution of Ohanaeze for the youths to discipline and sanction his parents adding that the action was an aberration and an abomination.

According to him, under the constitution of the group, the youth and women wing of Ohanaeze are under the control of Imeobi, the highest organ of the organisation which had dissolved the youth leadership preparatory to elections..

He said that there was no truth in the reports that the youth wing has suspended the President-General adding that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is working to mobilise and sensitise Nigerians to support restructuring.

The Ohanaeze youth leader regretted that the patriotic task undertaken by the leadership of the group was being misunderstood as meddling into politics.

Arthur-Ugwa observed that the leadership of Onanaeze Ndigbo was united and committed to repositioning Igbos amongst other ethnic groups in a restructured Nigeria.

He dismissed comments credited to former members of Ohaneze youth Wing who claimed to be National leaders of the youth body claiming that President General of Ohanaeze was meddling into politics.

Arthur-Ugwa described the claim as baseless and false adding that those behind the allegations were bent of creating crisis where there is none.

He noted that the youth leaders who paraded themselves as National leaders of the youth wing of Ohanaeze were misleading the public.

“We were surprised that some defunct members of Ohanaeze Youth Wing issued a statement accusing the President General of meddling into 2019 Presidential elections.

“To state the facts, the allegations are fabricated by expelled members of the youth group at the national level to attract public sympathy; there is no truth in the allegation.

“The President-General has been working at uniting Igbos all over the world and recently was in Bayelsa as part of his efforts in restructuring and repositioning Ndigbo in a restructured federation..

“Nwodo also waded into leadership crisis in Ohaneze Ndigbo Bayelsa chapter, is this what they call politics?.

“The President-General categorically said that he was not interested in personal gains from the struggle for restructuring, so the allegation is a mere ploy by disgruntled persons parading themselves as Ohanaeze youth leaders.

“The National Executives of Ohanaeze Youth Wing was dissolved by Ime-Obi  and National Executive Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2017 and we are getting set for elections later this month, so they are misleading the people.

“The leadership at the state levels in the South East and South South condemn and dissociate ourselves from the statement and frown at the disrespect to our revered elders and leaders in Ohanaeze Ndigbo,our parent body.

“We urge the errant youths to refrain from using the media to discredit the organisation and show commitment towards building of a united front for Ndigbo,” Arthur-Ugwa said.