Igbo leaders in 19 Northern States debunk endorsing Tinubu
By Chima Azubuike
Igbo leaders in 19 Northern States and Abuja, on Saturday debunked endorsing the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma.
According to a press statement signed by Chief Chi Nwogu, President Igbos in the nineteen northern states and Abuja and the Secretary General Austin Oforkansi, the group said it has not endorsed any of the candidates ahead of 2023 general election.
The group disclosed that one Collins Ajali, had purportedly represented leaders of the 19 Northern States to endorse Tinubu, adding that was an illegality as its members were yet to decide.
The statement partly read, “It has come to our notice on the purported story of endorsement by one Collins Chinedu Ajali, claiming to represent Igbo unions in the nineteen northern states and Abuja of the candidature of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress to win the forthcoming presidential elections in 2023.
“We the Igbos in the nineteen northern states and Abuja under the umbrella of Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA) are equally dismayed by the actions of the group of unknown individuals led
by the said Collins Chibueze Ajali, who is said to be representing the unions.
“He made this claim on the Vanguard newspaper on the 17th of December 2022 titled “Igbo town unions in
19 Northern states pledge to work for Tinubu” to the state governor of Imo state that they will also use the platform to work for the re-election of Governor Hope Uzodinma, Let’s state for the records that the town unions in the 19 northern states are all under the umbrella of (IDA), have at no time met and resolved to endorse a candidate of any particular candidate for the 2023 presidential election.”
Commenting on its decision, the group stated that it would be properly communicated, urging politicians to be careful of those who job is political racketeering without value.
“When we do so it will be an open forum following due process of consultations which is still on going. We say here emphatically that we Igbos in the 19 northern states and Abuja and all our town unions are not with an unknown group of individuals led by one Collins Chibueze Ajali.
“We do not know them nor have any association with these people, so we are advising politicians to be wary of characters like Collins Chinedu Ajali, who are political jobbers and have no political value.
“We however, call on our kindred, the Igbos in the North to come out en mass and participate in the electoral exercise to contribute in the collective decision to elect leaders in the 2023 elections and at the same time remain law abiding and go about their business in accordance to the laws of their respective states of residence,” the group added.
