The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has spotlighted Anambra and Abia States as the only Southeast governments truly rooted in the people’s will, amid widespread electoral manipulations elsewhere in the region and nation.

In a statement dated October 2025, OYC Anambra State Chairman and Southeast Zonal Representative, Comrade Onuoha Eberechukwu, B.Sc (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, urged a return to transparent democracy, warning that rigged leadership breeds subservience to Abuja and erodes trust.

 

Democratic Legitimacy vs. Political Survivalism

OYC observed that federal interference, judicial manipulations, and vote distortions have undermined elections across Nigeria, but Anambra and Abia exemplify “popular mandate triumphing over political machinery.” The group argued that true stability arises when leaders derive power from voters, not power brokers, fostering accountability over fear-driven alliances.

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Sources within OYC, including National President Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, confirmed the statement’s intent to rally Igbo youth against “electoral illegitimacy,” echoing recent criticisms of security lapses in Imo, Anambra, and Abia (as per a January 2025 OYC alert). Comrade Onuoha, a vocal advocate for civil defense and democratic rights—who co-signed a 2025 warning on activist Omoyele Sowore’s arrest—stressed that Anambra and Abia’s model ensures leaders prioritize constituents over federal patronage.

 

Anambra: A Model of Political Independence

Since 2003, Anambra has upheld autonomy under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), resisting federal hegemony. The 2021 governorship election, which delivered Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo a 112,000-vote margin, was deemed transparent by observers, thanks to INEC’s BVAS system and real-time collation. “Anambra remains Nigeria’s most politically independent state, guided by principle, not pressure,” the statement noted, crediting this for sustained social trust.

Soludo’s administration, focused on urban renewal and economic diversification, exemplifies the benefits, with Anambra topping Southeast GDP growth at 4.8% in 2024 (per NBS data). OYC praised the continuity as a bulwark against APC incursions, contrasting it with defections in other states.

 

Abia: A Revolt Against Godfatherism

Abia’s 2023 polls marked a “historic reawakening,” ending two decades of PDP dominance through Dr. Alex Otti’s Labour Party victory—175,000 votes to PDP’s 88,000. BVAS neutralized rigging, yielding a “verifiable” outcome embraced by voters and civil society. “It was a civilian revolt against systemic decay,” OYC declared, positioning Otti’s tenure as a benchmark for transparency.

Otti’s reforms, including pension recoveries and infrastructure pushes, have stabilized Abia post-2023, but OYC lamented past injustices like ghost workers, tying them to imposed leadership. The statement lauded Abia’s shift as one of Nigeria’s few instances where “the people, not the system, decided.”

 

Trapped in Dependency: A Regional Warning

OYC contrasted Anambra and Abia with other Southeast governors reliant on “compromised processes”—falsified results and judicial wins—leading to APC defections for survival. “When authority lacks social contract, leaders bow to Abuja,” the release warned, citing blind loyalty as a symptom of insecurity. This echoes OYC’s May 2025 dissolution of Abia structures for integrity and July 2025 call for youth-led takeovers.

The group stressed legitimacy over legality: “A governor with people’s mandate governs confidently; rigged ones bargain in fear.” Anambra and Abia, as “last strongholds,” inspire hope amid eroding integrity.

 

Calls for Electoral Reform

OYC demanded:
1. Protection of Southeast electoral independence.
2. Reinforcement of BVAS and transmission systems.
3. Rejection of APC subservience as continuity’s price.

“When votes count, agitation fades, hope returns, and peace endures,” Comrade Onuoha concluded, urging policies over mistrust.

 

Reactions and Context

The statement, circulating on X with #CountOurVotes trending (5,000 mentions by October 16), drew praise from LP supporters: @AbiaRisingYouth: “Otti’s win proved people power!” APGA’s @AnambraVoice countered: “Soludo’s independence is unmatched.” Critics like @SoutheastUnity dismissed it as partisan, but OYC’s track record—praising Ebonyi scholarships in January 2025 and slamming Orji Uzor Kalu in October—lends credibility.

As 2027 looms, OYC’s push aligns with Igbo unity efforts under President-General John Azuta-Mbata (elected January 2025), amid 40% youth unemployment (NBS 2024) fueling calls for accountable governance.

 

Why This Matters

With Southeast insecurity claiming 200+ lives in 2025 (SBM Intelligence), OYC’s focus on legitimacy ties electoral trust to stability, urging reforms in a region contributing 10% to Nigeria’s GDP.

OYC’s October 2025 statement by Comrade Onuoha Eberechukwu positions Anambra (Soludo) and Abia (Otti) as Southeast beacons of people’s mandate, decrying manipulations elsewhere. As youth demand BVAS safeguards, the message resonates: True leadership counts votes, not godfathers. For Igboland, the count begins now.