The Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youths Worldwide on Thursday endorsed the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa for President and Vice President as well as all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
The endorsement was given at the maiden Igbo Youth Town Hall Meeting held in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The Igbo Youths led by Mazi Livinus Obasi Onu said the youths were concerned about the drifting economy and insecurity plaguing the once peaceful South-East and urged the PDP Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to ensure they reverse the challenges facing Ndi Igbo.
Responding, Okowa said the Atiku-Okowa Presidency would apply dialogue to unite Nigerians and provide more jobs to the teeming youths with the setting aside of $10billion dollars for MSMES.
He further said that a constitutional amendment would be carried out to devolve more powers to states and local governments and to also enable states establish their police force to tackle insecurity in their various states.
“Throughout Nigeria there is cause for every youth to worry and there is the need for the Igbo Youths to be more worried because insecurity in Igbo land is now more worrisome than other parts of the country.
“The Policies of the APC government in the last 8 years have impacted badly on the igbo man particularly the traders.
On resolving the crisis in the South-East, Okowa said Atiku Abubakar had assured that he would dialogue with key stakeholders with a view to releasing Nnamdi Kanu within the first 100 days of his administration.
“There is need for dialogue and we have said there is need to release our brother Nnamdi Kanu. Atiku has said he will open up dialogue assuring that through dialogue process he will release Nnamdi Kanu within 100 days.
“The elders of Igbo land have made the request and it means it was important to them,”
He said Delta was badly affected by the agitation in the Niger Delta but had become very peaceful because he sat with them and dialogued with them.
He added that his administration had engaged many youths through skill acquisition and empowerment programmes which had made many youths to become successful entrepreneurs and job creators.
“We will devolve more powers to the states and local government. We already have a draft bill to amend the constitution for states to have their own police force.
He lauded the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo youths adding that they would benefit immensely from the MSMES fund to be provided by the Atiku-Okowa presidency.
“It is not in the best interest of Igbo land to re-elect APC and we will do everything possible to bring security and development back to the South-East and other parts of the country.
“When the country is peaceful and united it will be easier to create jobs and bring development to the country.
“There is great pain in Nigeria today but there is help on the way with Atiku-Okowa presidency. We will run a transparent government with every part of the country carried along, so be rest assured that the Igbos would no longer be marginalised,” he stated.
The ceremony was attended by Senatorial Candidate of Delta North, Hon. Prince Ned Nwoko; Minority Leader House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Commissioner for Youths Development, Ifeanyi Egwunyenga among others.
