…As committee Gives Obiozor-led Executive 30 days ultimatum to implement recommendation
The apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has appealed to Ndigbo to support the project for the next president of Nigeria to come from the Southeast extraction of the country.
The Igbo group made the appeal Wednesday, in reaction to the call by some Igbo leaders for the Obiozor-led Ohanaeze to reconstitute the executives of the organisation in line with their recommendations in January, 2022.
The Igbo Leaders at their extra-ordinary meeting held in Enugu, they decried the non -implementation of the resolutions of the Peace and Conflict committee set up by Ndigbo on the crisis in the body, more than four months after they were reached.
At the meeting yesterday chaired by elder statesman, Prof Uma Eleazu include Methodist Archbishop, Most Rev. Chibuzo Opoko; Methodist Archbishop Chris Ede; Anglican Archbishop, Emmanuel Chukwuma; Bishop Obi Onubugo; Prof Elo Amucheazi; Archbishop Anthony Obinna; former Secretary general of Ohanaeze, Dr Joe Nworgu among others.
Following the crisis that arose out of the 10th January, 2021 elections that factionalized the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a committee on peace and conflict resolution made up of Igbo elders, Bishops and Archbishops was set up to ensure that peace, unity and harmony returned to the organization.
The committee had five members each from the Roman Catholic Church; Anglican Communion; Methodist Church; Presbyterian Church; Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and selected Igbo elders including Prof Uma Eleazu; Prof Elo Amucheazi, Dr Joe Nworgu and representatives of Diaspora Igbo groups among others.
The committee had on 14th January, 2022, recommended among others the recomposition of the executive committee of the organization with Uche Okwukwu from Rivers state as the Deputy President General while Prince Okechukwu Nwadinobi from Abia state should step in as the new Secretary General. It held that Obiozor should retain position as the President General among other officials.
Okwukwu had emerged from the faction led by Chidi Ibeh while Nwadinobi who became the “consensus choice” before the election was sidelined by those who allegedly hijacked the process.
Addressing reporters after their well attended meeting in Enugu yesterday, Chairman of the committee, Prof Eleazu, stated that the organization had been hijacked, lamenting that the Obiozor led executive had refused to attend several meetings aimed at resolving the crisis that engulfed the Ohanaeze.
He insisted that there was no way the apex Igbo organization would continue to provide leadership for Ndigbo with the present crisis, explaining that the collective interest of Igbo people was threatened with the festering disagreement.
He said: “At first, we thought of intervening because we are being perceived by other people as one that is not united and cannot speak with one voice. We have met on several occasions and invited members of the two factions to enable us dialogue on the way forward. While those who could not attend participated through zoom and others, the executive led by Obiozor has refused to participate. The reason is very simple and that is the fact that Ohanaeze has been hijacked. We cannot allow this to continue because that is not the idea behind the formation of the group. No governor can hijack Ohanaeze.
“So we have taken a decision that we believe is in the best interest of Ndigbo and we would want to see it being implemented so that we can act as a united entity for the overall interest of our people”.
But Alex Ogbonnia, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, however, while responding to the resolution by the elders insisted that the Oboizor led executive was focused on how to achieve presidency of southeast extraction in 2023 and appealed on everyone to join the project.
“I’m appealing every Igbo person to be engaged and occupied by the project of producing a president of South East extraction. This is the burning issue now, when we are done with this, we will come back and solve our internal problems.
“We have General Assembly and Imeobi of Ohanaeze and these are very sacred organs of the apex Igbo organisation and it will be inconceivable for anyone to begin to challenge the decisions reached by these organs of Ohanaeze.
“During the Imeobi meeting of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on May 5th, 2022, they unanimously agreed that the issue of leadership has been laid to a good rest and I appeal to anyone nursing any ambition to exercise patience. The current administration is heading to half of their tenure and anyone is free to contest when this tenure elapse.”
