The apex Igbo socio‑cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, called on senator‑elect for Enugu North, Okey Ezea, to retract his “do or die” comment, warning that it could set the state ablaze. The council reminded him that “throwing stones into a marketplace is dangerous because the victim cannot be known,” and urged him to withdraw the remark for the sake of peace in Enugu State.
Ezea had told his constituents that the forthcoming governorship election would be a “do or die” affair. Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, said such utterances should be condemned by all lovers of democracy. He expressed shock that Ezea, who benefited from the goodwill and political wave led by Peter Obi, would now incite violence in his first public statement as senator‑elect, calling on youths to engage in crisis.
“We, the Ohanaeze youths, reject in its entirety the inciting statement credited to the Enugu North Senator‑elect, Barr. Okey Ezea, in which he described the March 11 governorship election as a ‘do or die’ affair,” Nnabuike said. “It is awkward that Ezea’s first public utterance as a senator‑elect is to call on youths to engage in violence. This is totally unacceptable and should be resisted by every Enugu youth. The youths must say no to politicians who would use them to cause mayhem in Enugu State.”
He added, “We should not forget that it is very dangerous to throw stones into a marketplace; you never know who will be the victim. We warn Okey Ezea to stop instigating violence in Enugu State, which Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has kept peaceful since the inception of his administration. We call on him to immediately withdraw that divisive and inciting statement without further delay. This should also serve as a serious warning to other politicians who may consider this path. The youths will not take it lightly; we shall employ all legal means to bring such a person to justice.”
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