South East under political siege over 2023 presidential election, group alleges

By ANOLU VINCENT, Owerri

A group, Coalition of South- East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), has alleged that the South-East states are under political siege, a plan it said was meant to kill the idea of the zone producing the next president of the coun­try in 2023.

According to the group, the political siege on the zone became obvious following ha­rassment and intimidation of some political leaders in the zone by the Economic and Fi­nancial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Mr Goodluck Ibem, Pres­ident General of COSEYL disclosed this through a press statement he jointly signed with the Secretary of the group Kanice Igwe and made available to newsmen.

He said the recent sealing of a family property of former Abia State governor, Sen. T.A Orji and intimidation of nota­ble political leaders from the zone by the EFCC was a clear indication of a claim that the zone was under siege.

He further stated that an­other prominent Igbo man, Sen. Orji Kalu was hurriedly tried and imprisoned, while some other prominent peo­ple from the zone are facing different kind of political ha­rassment just to blacklist the zone’s presidential ambition.

Ibem said the war against Sen. T. A Orji would be viewed as a war declared against the zone, but however called on the people of the zone to rise against the political margin­alisation.

He said COSEYL would organise a peaceful protest in each state of the zone against the alleged intimidation of Sen T.A Orji and others in the zone.

The group accused the Federal government for mar­ginalising the zone during the Coronavirus induced lock­down when it distributed cash to other zones.

“The reason for this victim­isation is not far from the 2023 presidential election and that is why they have touch-lighting every prominent personality in the zone,” the statement read. (Saturday Independent)