Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths disown fake member over call for Governor Mbah’s resignation in Enugu.
Group backs Mbah’s security efforts, demands probe into alleged helicopter drop of attackers.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has firmly dissociated itself from a call demanding the resignation of Enugu State Governor, Barr. Peter Mbah, over recent herdsmen attacks in the Isi-Uzo Local Government Area.
The call, which was published by an online platform, SaharaReporters, was attributed to one Mazi David Ani, who claimed to be the chairman of the Ohanaeze youths in Enugu State. Ani had reportedly urged Governor Mbah to step down, citing his alleged failure to curb the growing insecurity in the Isi-Uzo axis, particularly the recent herdsmen invasion.
However, in a swift reaction on Tuesday, the National President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, issued a strongly worded statement refuting Ani’s claims and describing him as an imposter with no affiliation to the organization.
Okwu stated that neither at the state nor national level of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council is there any record of Ani holding any official position. He insisted that Ani’s identity and actions were unfamiliar and did not reflect the position of the organization. “That individual is unknown to us and has no mandate to speak on behalf of Ohanaeze youths,” Okwu said.
He went on to express sympathy with the affected communities in Isi-Uzo, acknowledging the pain and fear caused by the attack, but noted that blaming the state governor for the incident was unfair and misdirected. “While we deeply sympathize with the victims and communities affected by the herdsmen’s violence, calling for Governor Peter Mbah’s resignation is not only unjustified but also entirely misplaced,” Okwu said.
He stressed that Governor Mbah had made significant investments in the security architecture of Enugu State and had continually provided support to the security agencies operating within the state. According to him, the governor had shown genuine commitment to ensuring the safety of citizens, even though his powers as Chief Security Officer remain limited in practice.
“People must understand that governors in Nigeria are only Chief Security Officers by name, not by operational authority. The heads of security agencies take their instructions directly from Abuja, not from state governors,” Okwu explained. He added that the failure to respond adequately to such attacks should be traced to the leadership of the federal security agencies and not pinned on a state governor who lacks direct control over them.
Okwu further described the resignation call as a “scripted political attack” orchestrated by mischievous elements seeking to discredit the efforts of the governor. He reiterated that Mazi David Ani had no known affiliation with Ohanaeze and that his statements should be disregarded by the public.
The youth leader also called for a thorough investigation into disturbing reports that a helicopter may have been involved in dropping off the assailants who carried out the attacks in Isi-Uzo. “We are demanding an in-depth and transparent investigation into the claims that a helicopter was seen dropping off the attackers. If proven true, this would point to a much deeper conspiracy against the people,” he said.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council concluded by reaffirming its support for Governor Peter Mbah and commended his ongoing efforts to maintain peace and security in the state. The group called on residents to remain vigilant and support the government’s efforts rather than be swayed by politically motivated falsehoods.
