Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has described politicians who claimed their presidential nomination forms were purchased by certain groups as scammers.
It warned Nigerians to be wary of such people who are mocking their collective intelligence.
In a statement made available on Monday to PulseNets by the Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, he said “no Nigerian youth can afford to pay exorbitant fees for politicians who have destroyed the future of the younger generation with huge debts, external borrowing and squandermania of the nation’s treasury.”
He, however, expressed the hope that with the new Electoral Act, there was hope for credible elections.
Isiguzoro said, “we are bestowed with the obligations to update our people scattered across the country in 774 LGAs, that there is fresh hope that your votes will count in 2023.
“We are aware of the loss of interests in the elections since 1999, and corrupt politicians had capitalized on the apathy of Nigerians to impose unpopular and corrupt politicians on Nigerians in connivance with the INEC and security agents.
“But this time, Igbos should get their PVCs ready and chase away hypocrites and impostors in power”.
“We are aware of the fact that in 2011, Igbos won two Federal seats and the house of Assembly seats in Lagos, but in 2015 and 2019, with the loopholes in the electoral process, there was coercion and oppression against Ndigbo in Lagos, but the scenario will be different in 2023.
“We urge Ndigbo to participate in the 2023 election in every ward across the country.
“There is no doubt that we have the numerical strength to push for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023. We will get it right now, but it starts with obtaining a voter’s card. IPOB and MASSOB members also should get their own for the purpose of election and referendum in the future,” he further stated.