Ahead of 2023 gubernatorial election in Enugu state, the youth of Enugu East Senatorial zone have called for an open contest for all credible and competent candidates from the zone.

In a communique signed by National President of the group, Hon Edeani M. Edeani at the end of an expanded youth stakeholders meeting in Enugu today, the youths condemned clamour by certain local government areas in the zone to be considered for the governorship position on the basis of underdevelopment or backwardness.

The youth appealed to all the political party to join All Progressive Party, APC, who have zoned the seat to Enugu East senatorial and zone theirs.

They urged Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to choose a competent successor from Nkanu land irrespective of which local government the person.

The youths also said that the formation of different groups by local governments in the zone, all aimed at securing the slot for their local government was an unnecessary disuniting factor which could work against the interest of the entire Nkanu nation.

Part of the communique reads: “Youths of Enugu East Senatorial zone hereby appeal to our dear governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to choose and support any credible, competent and capable Nkanu man irrespective of his local government of origin as his successor.

“We agreed to unite under the Nwa Nkanu umbrella and hereby condemn in strong terms every other local government based movement or any consultations clamouring for their individual interests such as Ka Isi Uzo Jee, Ka Nkanu West Jee, Ka Enugu East Jee, Ka Nkanu East Jee, Ka Enugu South Jee, Ka Enugu North Jee, etc as they are only dividing us instead of uniting the sons and daughters of Nkanu land towards a collective Nwa Nkanu Agenda.

“Nkanu Youths are aware of some saboteurs betraying the collective interest of our nation, we hereby call on the very few to retrace, else be prepared to face the music of thousands of Nkanu youths.

“We are also conscious of some desperate politicians and their political jobbers trying to induce chaos and instability in Enugu state by their failed bid to truncate the zoning arrangement. We hereby warn them to wake up from the feverish dream as any further undertaking will be fiercely resisted.

“We thank Ndi Enugu state for keeping faith with the government of Enugu state and Nkanu nation assuring them that we the Nkanu youths will work with like-minded personalities in the state to ensure that a competent Nkanu man emerges as Enugu state governor come next year”.

They equally said that they were no longer in doubt that the governorship slot, based on the rotation principle which has endured in Enugu State, has gone full swing and is the turn of Enugu East Senatorial zone to take the position.