From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
The members of the Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum in Ebonyi State has reaffirmed their support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, assuring him of their full backing to ensure his victory in the forthcoming general elections.
The Forum made this known on Thursday in Abakaliki, noting that the emergence of Nwifuru as the gubernatorial candidate of the ruling APC, gave its members a conviction of his preparedness to win the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The National President of the Forum, Comrade Ben Nwovu, while reading the resolutions by his members during the meeting, said that the youths have also unequivocally adopted the winner of the APC ticket for Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone, Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi as their sole candidate.
Comrade Nwovu, said the Forum commended Governor David Umahi for approving the allocation of a parcel of land to Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum at the former Abakpa Main Market now City Central Market in the state.
The Forum also thanked the APC and its leadership for the successful conduct of its primary, which led to the emergence of Speaker Nwifuru as the party's gubernatorial candidate of Ebonyi State
He noted that Nwifuru's victory as the Ebonyi APC gubernatorial candidate, has come to the wisdom of Izzi traditional rulers and elders of the clan, in their earlier adoption of the Speaker for the Executive Position of Governor come May 29th 2023.
According to Nwovu, "We wish to use this medium to re-affirm our earlier adoption of Rt. Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru as a sole candidate for the gubernatorial election come 2023.
"On the ground of equity, we wish to congratulate and adopt Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi on his emergence as the APC Senatorial Candidate for Ebonyi North Senatorial District come 2023 general elections."
The forum also warned every Izhi son and daughters against accepting deputy governorship position of any political party in Ebonyi State, no matter how juicy the promises given to him or her maybe.
"We wish to state unequivocally that on no account should any Izhi son or daughter accept the Deputy governorship position of any political party in Ebonyi State as such person would not be accepted in Izhi clan," the forum said.
The members of forum thanked their brothers and sisters who contested for the governorship position in other different parties, appealing to their conscience to come back home to join efforts to their efforts together to achieving success in the forthcoming elections with Rt. Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
The Forum appealed to every Izhi child to go and get their permanent voter cards, PVCs, saying that a 'time will come when its members cannot allow people without PVC in their markets and other social gathering.
The Forum equally appealed to their brothers and sisters from other clans in Ebonyi State for their total commitment and support come 2023 general elections, just as Izhi clan has been supporting other zones at the different times of their contest.'
The resolution was unanimously adopted by the members of the Forum, following the motion moved by Elder Chief Darlington Mbam and seconded by Hon Stephen Ebere Nwogba during the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi North Senatorial Candidate, Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi, who honoured the meeting which was largely attended by the Izhi youths from Abakaliki, Ebonyi and Izzi Local Government Areas of the State, has expressed gratitude for adopting him as their sole candidate in 2023.
He further thanked the members of the Forum for having adopted Speaker Nwifuru as their sole candidate for the 2023 Ebonyi State governorship position, and equally applauded Governor David Umahi's led administration which according to him, has given the youths the opportunity to showcase their talents in governance.