The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has called on all the political stakeholders in Enugu State to close ranks and work for the unity and development of the state.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation said this in reaction to the Friday judgement of the Supreme Court which affirmed Governor Peter Mbah’s victory.
In a statement made available to journalists on Sunday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said the group was pained that the legal tussle over the Enugu guber election lingered for several months, with millions of naira spent on litigation.
Okwu recalled that the Ohanaeze youths had begged the Labour Party governorship candidate, Barr Chijioke Edeoga not to drag Mbah to court, adding that “when Governor Mbah recorded victories in both the Tribunal and at the Appeal Court, we also urged him not to push the matter further.
“We made the plea considering the amount of money involved in litigation in Nigeria and its attendant distractions to the government in power.
“However, now that the LP candidate has exhausted all his legal rights, we urge him to accept the hands of fellowship extended to him by the governor.
“This is not the first time the governor is inviting him and indeed other members of the opposition to join him in moving the state forward; we believe that this indeed the time for him to heed that clarion call for the overall interest of the state.
“Everyone cannot be governor at the same time; what matters now is the progress and development of Enugu; it should be of paramount importance to any lover of the state.”
The Ohanaeze youth president urged the governor to fully concentrate on delivering good dividends to the people of Enugu State “now that every obstacle and distractions have been removed.”
“The people of Enugu State are desirous of good governance and we have no doubt in the capacity of Governor Peter Mbah to perform beyond the expectations of the citizens,” he further stated.
Supreme Court judgement: Enugu LP’s prolonged litigation was avoidable – Ohanaeze