“Our goal is the welfare and security of every Nigerian, and we intend to build an egalitarian society, where it is everybody according his needs and to the best according to his talent,” the party said today in a statement signed by its South East spokesman, Osita Okechukwu.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) South East has reassured Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing and Ndigbo in general that the party is Pan-Nigeria, and not anti-Igbo.
“Our goal is the welfare and security of every Nigerian, and we intend to build an egalitarian society, where it is everybody according his needs and to the best according to his talent,” the party said today in a statement signed by its South East spokesman, Osita Okechukwu.
By way of clarification, he said that what the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has asked is for President Goodluck Jonathan to invite the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) to investigate and prosecute Senator Ali Modu Sherif and Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd) in connection with the allegation leveled by a negotiator of the federal government, Rev. Dr Stephen Davis. Nigeria, he added, is a signatory to the ICC and it currently seems that Boko Haram has overwhelmed the President.
“APC in league with other Nigerians patriots is of the candid view that unravelling the masterminds, sponsors, allies and sympathizers of the monster called Boko Haram, is a sure bet to stamping out the insurgency,” the statement said.
“This is what our great party is patriotically demanding, and we sincerely reassure Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing that we mean well. We have no apology to tender to anybody.”
Full text of the statement:
APC is Pan-Nigeria Not Anti-Igbo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) South East wishes to reassure Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing and Ndigbo in general that All Progressives Congress is Pan-Nigeria and not Anti-Igbo.
Our goal is the welfare and security of every Nigerian, and we intend to build an egalitarian society, where it is everybody according his needs and to the best according to his talent.
Secondly, for the avoidance of doubt, what our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun called is for President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, to invite the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) to investigate and prosecute Senator Ali Modu Sherif and Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), consequent upon the allegation leveled by the Federal Government negotiator, Rev. Dr Stephen Davis. Nigeria is signatory to ICC and seems Boko Haram has overwhelmed Mr President.
APC in league with other Nigerians patriots is of the candid view that unravelling the masterminds, sponsors, allies and sympathizers of the monster called Boko Haram, is a sure bet to stamping out the insurgency.
This is what our great party is patriotically demanding, and we sincerely reassure Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing that we mean well. We have no apology to tender to anybody.
APC in the best tradition of democracy is requesting President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, C-in-C to use his good office to invite ICC to first investigate and secondly to prosecute Senator Sherif, Gen Ihejirika or any person found culpable, simple and short.
It needs be stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria more than a week after Rev. Dr Stephens Davis's startling allegation has neither made a rebuttal statement nor dismissed the Australian.
Mrs Marlyn Ogar is spokesperson of the Department of Security Service, she is not Dr Reuben Abati or Mr Labaran Maku presidential spokesman and Federal Government spokesman respectively. To say that her statements recently are more or less unprofessional and less than transparent is food for thought for Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths and their co-travelers.
Consequently, Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Leadership needs be reminded the old Igbo maxim that you do not throw stone into the market, for the stone may hit your mother or father. Ndigbo are spread all over Nigeria and so is APC membership, so we must sing Nigerian song not ethno-sectarian song.
Therefore, we candidly, do not see anything wrong in Mr President, who agreed that Boko Haram has penetrated his Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, and whom under his watch rascals are hoisting irrendist flags, formally requesting the International Criminal Court to intervene as the Boko Haram insurgency is a matter of urgent national importance.
Lets ask, has Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths ever asked President Jonathan why our dear brother Gen Ihejirika was sacked in controversial circumstances in January 2014? It is an issue for another day, suffice it to say that Ndigbo are second in population to indigenes of Lagos, Kano and 25 other states, first in 5 states and has good presence in FCT, meaning that if there is peace and prosperity in Nigeria, we are one of the greatest beneficiaries given the law of proportion.
APC doesn't need sanction nor threat from any quarter, it is those who inspite of huge federal defence budget that under fund our military, under equip our military, under motivate our military that are Anti-Igbo and Anti-Nigeria not APC.
In sum, Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths should be reticent, careful and diligent to avoid unwittingly putting all our eggs in one basket, hence joining the Ndigbo-Chop-Sand-Band of politicians, whose only interest is like that of She-Goat, the advancement of the nuclear family and no other goat.
Mr Osita Okechukwu
Spokesman APC South East.