The division in the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo following January 10 election has deepened with the faction opposed to the Prof. George Obiozor-led leadership opening a parallel office opposite the Akanu Ibiam International Airport as its operational base.
The Engr. Chidi Ibeh-led faction had while inspecting the main Ohanaeze Secretariat at the Park Avenue, Enugu, recently, declared it as uninhabitable and vowed to secure another secretariat to run the affairs of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization.
Meanwhile, the Ibeh group has declared April 22, 2021 as “Atonement Day of Ndigbo”.
According to Ibeh, on the issue of atonement, “this land must be purified; our prayerful men and women will be assembled together, all the clergy in Igbo land will come together and pray for the cleansing of the land.”
The group also declared support for the Eastern Security Network, ESN, powered by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to protect the people of the South East from unwarranted attacks from herdsmen and other criminals.
They called on the governors of the region to lend their support to the security outfit. “We are calling on all the governors in this region to support the ESN; their work is important to stop the incursion of criminals into this zone,” Ibeh urged.
He also dismissed last week’s Ohanaeze Elders’ Council meeting held in Owerri, Imo State as a nullity, saying that it was a mere political dinner convened by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.
The group also restated its resolve to pursue the Igbo presidency project with every sense of seriousness and without compromise and to carry all Igbo along in the effort to get the support of other parts of Nigeria.
“My leadership as elected on January 9 remains the only authentic leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and we will do everything under our purview, under our power, to bring Ndigbo to a very proper perspective.
“Having said this, I must express dismay over the so-called Council of Elders’ meeting of Ohanaeze held Saturday at Owerri. That was a charade in its entirety, an absurdity. That meeting was a mere political dinner meeting convened by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.
“It was not an Ohanaeze meeting and I want to appeal to Ndigbo to discountenance the discussions, the outcomes and whatever gathering they had yesterday.
“When the Elders’ Council is properly constituted, we will let our people know about it. In the first place, if I am the President-General, for power balancing and equity, the chairman of the Council of Elders will come from another state of Igboland and not from Imo State.
“So, anyone addressing Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as chairman of the Elders’ Council is wrong. He is not acceptable.‘‘
“I want to let our people know that having visited the permanent secretariat of Ohanaeze last month, we have come up with a temporary secretariat; it has been cited here in Enugu and this environment is the temporary secretariat. Henceforth, all Ohanaeze activities shall be conducted here.
“On Igbo presidency, our resolve is that it is non-negotiable and we will not compromise; we will do everything possible to have an Igbo man rule this country”, Ibeh said.
