…Warn Against Politicising Community Issues
By Ikenna Orioha
The Niger Delta Youth Critical Stakeholders in Imo State have raised concerns over what they described as a sustained campaign against the Imo State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Austin Onyedebelu, warning that attempts to undermine his leadership should not be disguised as a community dispute.
Addressing journalists in Owerri, on Saturday, the group said recent publications and statements attributed to Hon. Onyeaka and his associates appeared to have moved beyond the issues being presented as a community disagreement.
According to the stakeholders, the development should be viewed within the context of the political leadership of the state, particularly as political activities begin to intensify ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“This is an attack on Chief Austin Onyedebelu, his leadership and the political structure he represents and in disguise, an attack on the administration and political leadership of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State.”
The stakeholders maintained that genuine grievances concerning community affairs should be addressed through appropriate community, administrative or legal channels rather than through what they described as a sustained public campaign against the APC chairman.
The group further claimed that it had information and evidence concerning individuals and interests allegedly sponsoring or facilitating the campaign against Onyedebelu.
“We are not speaking based on rumours. We have evidence concerning individuals and interests involved in sponsoring, encouraging and facilitating this campaign against Chief Austin Onyedebelu,” the statement said.
The stakeholders, however, said they had deliberately refrained from identifying the alleged sponsors, citing their desire to avoid escalating tensions.
They warned that continued attacks could compel them to make the evidence available through appropriate channels and publicly identify those they believe are behind the campaign.
The Niger Delta youths also expressed concern over the timing of the publications, arguing that the campaign was coming at a period when political activities were beginning to increase across the state.
They described the alleged attempt to discredit the APC chairman at this period as “ill-conceived,” arguing that an attack on the chairman of the ruling party could have wider political implications.
The group said Onyedebelu’s position as APC Chairman meant that sustained attacks against him could not simply be divorced from the political structure of the party and the administration in the state.
The stakeholders also cautioned those who, in their view, may have mistaken Onyedebelu’s calm and accommodating disposition for weakness.
“Chief Austin Onyedebelu is a calm, gentle and accommodating leader. He has demonstrated restraint throughout this matter. But those who have interpreted his calmness as weakness should think again,” the group said.
They stressed that their intervention was not intended to encourage confrontation but to demand what they described as responsible political engagement and the use of lawful channels for resolving disagreements.
They appealed to political actors, community leaders and other stakeholders to avoid actions capable of creating unnecessary tension in Imo State.
The stakeholders added that the Niger Delta youths have a legitimate interest in peace, development, employment and empowerment and would not support efforts to destabilise the state for political purposes.
They urged anyone with substantive allegations against Onyedebelu to present verifiable evidence through the appropriate institutions, reiterating their commitment to peaceful engagement, maintaining that they would continue to monitor developments surrounding the controversy.
“We have remained silent because we believe in peace. But if this campaign does not stop, we will be forced to name names and present the evidence available to us through appropriate and lawful channels, the stakeholders” maintained.
