National Congress of Ohaji Youths (NACOY) have rejected the inclusion of their area in the proposed Anim state, saying they prefer to remain in present day Imo State.
NACOY made the disclosure during a press conference in Mgbirichi in the Ohaji/Egbema local government area of Imo State.
Its national president, Comrade Nicholas Tochukwu Nwosu, said Ohaji people want to remain in Imo where Owerri is the capital because of proximity and their age-long traditional and cultural affinity, adding that such affinity does not exist between them and the people of Orlu zone.
Nwosu said it was quite unfair that Ohaji with a population of over 400,000 people, comprising 25 recognised autonomous communities and seven electoral wards and much bigger than four local government areas in some parts of Imo state was still annexed with Egbema and still operating as one local government.
He said Ohaji youths were wholly in support of Ogbako Ohaji, the socio-political body of Ohaji people to remain in Imo state.
“We want to use this medium to state categorically that the inclusion of Ohaji district in Orlu senatorial zone abinitio was an inconvenient political marriage that was merely driven by annexation, conquest and bribery of few leaders who yielded to this aberration, but thank God, the time has come for its correction.
“We the youths of Ohaji support our fathers and the leadership of Ogbako Ohaji, the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ohaji nation to say, Ohaji will not be part of the proposed Orlu or Anim State. As much as we support the creation of additional state in the South East geopolitical zone, the people of Ohaji insists, we remain in Imo State with Owerri as its capital.
“Political alliance and relationships should be by choice and agreement and not by compulsion and to that extent we say emphatical no to our inclusion in the new Orlu or Anim State but yes to Imo State where we rightfully belong and wish to remain due to proximity, religious and boundary ties,” Nwosu said.
He called for the creation of additional local government areas from Ohaji, saying others formed alongside with them like Mbaise, had been shared into three.
According to Nwosu, the decision to include Ohaji in Anim state was because they have the largest gas deposits in West Africa.
Alos speaking, the President of Umuagwo Youths, Nnamdi Opara said they were unanimously in support of the clamour to remain in Imo state adding that they support the creation of more states in the South East.
On his part, the Chief Security Officer of the local government, Johncliff Ogbuehi said they were totally in support of the position of their leaders.
“We totally agree with our parents, Ogbako Ohaji that we prefer to remain in Imo State and not Anim State. We cannot pass through Owerri the capital to go to Orlu where the Anim State headquarters will be located,”he said.
