By; ISAAC ODEH, Kaduna
The Youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised the alarm over what it called an attempt to destroy key democratic institutions in Nigeria.
The Igbo group said the main targets of the plot are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under Prof. Yakubu Mahmood and the Senate under Senator Godswill Akpabio.
This is coming in reaction to the demand for the resignation of both Mahmood and Akpabio by a group under the aegis of United Nigerians in the Diaspora (UND).
UND had accused Mahmood of conducting what it described as shambolic Nigeria’s 2023 elections and recent ugly events in the nation’s polity.
On the part of Akpabio, he was accused of padding the 2024 budget.
However, in a statement by the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, he described those behind the calls as enemies of democracy.
According to him, “it is disheartening that those who failed elections have sworn to bring every democratic institution in this country down.
“Some failed politicians have not rested ever since the 2023 elections were conducted and concluded.
“In line with extant laws, they also went to court and exhausted their legal rights.
“It is, however, curious that almost one year after, the ghost of their failure is still hunting them, hence their call for Mahmood’s resignation. Their stand is that if they can’t pilot the boat, they would have to rock it.
“But our question is this- why are they not also asking judges who adjudicated in the litigations to all resign from office? These cases went to court and were treated on merit.
“It is on record that no single governor was sacked by the courts, an indication that the INEC under Mahmood deserves some accolades.”
Okwu urged Nigerians to rise up and defend the country’s democracy from those who never meant well for the system.
“Having said this, we condemn in totality the demand by the so-called UND and whoever they represent.
“We urge the INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, to ignore their rantings and antics as they are not speaking for Nigerians but for a selfish few.
“We also call on Nigerians to stand firm in defence of our democratic institutions as these desperadoes would never rest; however, evil will never triumph over right,” Okwu stressed.
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