By Anselem Anokwute
The Co-ordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Aboh Mbaise LGA chapter, Comrade Franklin Obi Uche, “the magic man”, who is also currently the Imo state co-ordinator of all LGA coordinators of NYCN has advised Imo state youths mostly those of Mbaise extraction, to vote wisely in the 2019 general elections, to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
Comrade Obi Uche who is also the President General of Nguru Nwankwo political network and former IMSU students leader, said, the youths have always remained at the receiving end and called on them to use their voting strength judiciously this time around. He maintained that they are now tired of the past politicians “game plan of promise and fail”, whereby they only recognize the importance of the youths during elections with flimsy promises and after their emergence, they would literarily disappear without living up to their campaign promises. He pointed out that, “Mbaise youths should use the opportunity as payback time to such politicians and to also elect a good candidates, as executive governor of Imo state”.
According to him, in 2015 some politicians came and even slept in Mbaise communities, while busy galvanizing support but shortly after their emergence, the same Mbaise became a no go area thereby leaving the youths in total confusion and perturbed by such “use and dump syndrome”.
Comrade Obi Uche, “the magic man”, further used the medium to advise all the political parties field in credible candidates and also not to relax or rely on the issues that have remained top of argument but to produce a dependable and marketable candidates in the 2019 contest as Imo people would no longer vote out of sympathy or long stories. He also said, Imo elders should support youths this time around to enable them contribute their quota effectively towards state and national development.
On the appointment of some Imo youths into government, Comrade Obi Uche said, it is quite commendable. He stated that such energetic and vibrant youths would definitely change the psyche of the older politicians. He commended Governor Okorocha mostly for the appointment of an Aboh Mbaise youth, Prince Chidi Nwaturuocha as commissioner for Public Safety.
He also called on Governor Okorocha to empower more youths to help in ejecting the older politicians and allow green horn politicians into the system to learn and to contribute their quota. He is of the belief that generational shift in Imo state is very appropriate and well deserved if the state must move forward.
