Some Igbo youths resident in Ekiti State have backed the governorship aspiration of the candidate of Social Democratic Party, (SDP) Segun Oni in the June 18 governorship election.
The youths, under the aegis of Igbo Youths In Ekiti, made the pledge when they visited Oni in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, promising to mobilise for him before and during the poll.The President-General of the Igbo Youths Mr. Ifeanyi Okon, who led the delegation, described the SDP candidate as the only leader they can trust wholeheartedly with their votes among the contestants.
He said that the delegation, comprising all the leaders from the 16 council areas of the state appreciated Oni “for gracing the inauguration of their society’s new executive which took place recently. Your presence convinced the Igbo youths in Ekiti that you are a leader and candidate we can give our votes”.
The group’s Secretary, Mr. Isaac Obasi, and the Organising Secretary, Comrade Cosmas Eze, said since Oni joined the SDP, the party had become popular and a household name in Ekiti, adding that Igbo youths in Ekiti were marveled by the large army of supporters supporting the former governor.
Oni, while addressing the group said: “Youths are the future leaders; but as tomorrow and the future will forever remain evasive, my government will constructively engage them to provide responsible and responsive future leadership, so as to phase out their use for thuggery by politicians.”
The former governor berated the use of youths for thuggery during campaign and election periods by politicians, saying no politician ever engaged their biological children for criminal activities, “but they go for other people’s children because they are disadvantaged.”
“I initiated programmes, during my first term administration, engaging the youth constructively and giving them better orientation; but these were jettisoned by my successors. I will go back to them so as to make thuggery among the youths an unprofitable venture,” he added.
“I will encourage self-employment, provide the enabling environment and collaborate with financial institutions to provide entrepreneurial take-off for youths through granting of small scale loans.”I will provide employments for the youth, both in the civil service and in politics, in order to involve them in decision-making process, for tomorrow’s leadership cultivation.”Oni recalled that during the civil war, the late Ado-Ekiti-based businessmen, who left Ekiti for their states and returned to the state meeting their property intact. “
“This is to demonstrate the Omoluabi ethos and accommodating spirit in the Elite people. All other ethnic groups living and working in Ekiti are enjoying their stay and their businesses blossoming. ”I am appealing to the Igbo, Hausa, Ibibio, Ebirra, Idoma, Igede, the Fulani and others to collect their voter cards to vote for Asiwaju Segun Oni as your governor”.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
