The apex Socio-cultural youth organization of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council OYC has called out the Vice Presidential Candidate of the main opposition party and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to pay off his statutory contribution of Governors from Igbo extraction.
The Council recounted that Anioma is a core Indigenous Igbo people and have produced a former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the person of Late Gen. Joseph Achuzie (Rtd).
Addressing newsmen in Asaba, Wednesday, October 19, 2022, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council OYC, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, amidst indignation, regretted that Gov Ifeanyi Okowa, had since his emergence as a Governor, bluntly refused to pay his monthly statutory levy as is expected of every Governor from States of Igbo extraction.
Igboayaka alleged that Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa had an accumulated debt of over two hundred million naira (200m) to pay to the Igbo nation (Apex Igbo Socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide)
Speaking, Igboayaka said: “It could recalled Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa has boasted of him being Igbo yet he has failed to live up the expectations in his work with the apex Igbo Socio-cultural Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as an Igbo Governor.
“It’s very unfortunate that Gov Ifeanyi Okowa who boasted of being Igbo has failed to take active responsibility in Ohanaeze Ndigbo affairs since the past seven years. Even as a Governor which made him a statutory member of ‘Ime Obi’ one of the highest decision making organs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Gov Ifeanyi Okowa has failed to attend Ohanaeze Ndigbo meetings.”
This, according to Comrade Igboayaka, has raised suspicions in the minds of Ndigbo over his recent public statement where he reaffirmed his origin as an Igbo man.
Continuing, Igboayaka lamented that “Gov Ifeanyi Okowa’s vice presidential slot has made Ndigbo to doubt and neglect him because of his unsupportive attitude to Ohanaeze Ndigbo even as a Governor, as it were.
The Council, therefore, reiterated that Okowa’s position as the Governor of Delta State had over the years, proven unproductive to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, hence their utter skepticism over what would be their fate should they throw their weights behind him in his extant vice presidential slot.
“Right now, Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a body is skeptical about what their fate would turn out to be if they go ahead to support him to be Vice President of Nigeria. They are worried that his position ever be beneficial to Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Ndigbo at large.”
Comrade Igboayaka, therefore, called on Gov Ifeanyi Okowa to prove some sense of integrity and responsibility by paying his outstanding whooping sum of N200 million naira he owed Ohanaeze Ndigbo since his assumption of office.
“It’s sad that a lot of projects is going on at Ohanaeze Ndigbo secretariat Enugu under Prof. Amb. George Obiozor administration, but Gov Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP Vice Presidential candidate has not donated a bag of cement or a chair to support the apex Igbo Socio-cultural organization,” he bemoaned.
