Ohaneze Crisis: Igbo Leaders Order President General Obiozor 30 Days Ultimatum To Reconstitute It’s Exco Or Be Rejected

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Thursday, May 12th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Prominent leaders in Igboland on Wednesday gave president general of Apex Igbo Socio cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor thirty days from today (May 11, 2022) to reconstitute the executive of the body or face rejection by Ndigbo.

But the organization in a swift response, via its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia said that what the Igbo leaders were saying had been overtaken by events and urged them to cooperate with the Obiozor led executive to achieve desired results.

Speaking during their extra-ordinary meeting held in Enugu, Wednesday the leaders 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.

The meeting chaired by elder statesman, Prof Uma Eleazu was also graced by 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.

Recall that committee had on 14th January, 2022, recommended among others to recostitute 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.

“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.

However, while responding to the resolution by the elders, the Ohaneze Spokesman insisted that the Oboizor led executive was focused on how to achieve presidency of southeast extraction in 2023, stressing that they had been engaging with notable Nigerian leaders on the issue.

He stated that the Obiozor executive was answerable to the two main organs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo which includes the ImeObi and General Assembly, stressing that “what the leaders are doing is a direction to the collective interest and aspiration of Ndigbo”.