From CHIDI NNADI, Enugu
With the caliber of the Igbo leaders who attended the January 12 Ohanaeze Ndigbo national election in Enugu, many believed that Ndigbo had spoken in one voice in the election of new executives for the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
The January 12 election was a roll call of who is who in Igbo land; from former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof Joe Irukwu; former Anambra Governor, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Senator Uche Chukwumerije; Chairman of the South-east council of traditional rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya;
Rear Admiral Allison Madueke; former Health Minister, Prof A.B.C. Nwosu; Elder Bob Ogbuagu; former Ohanaeze President-General, Eze Ozobu; former Secretary General, Joe Achuzie; Prof Anya O. Anya; Leader of the MASSOB, Ralph Uwazurike; Amb. Eddy Onuoha, among others. But no sooner than the newly elected officers were inaugurated by Justice Ozobu as former president general than his nephew, Prince Richard Ozobu, who served as the secretary to the electoral committee called the January 12 a sham, saying he was going ahead with a fresh election scheduled to hold tomorrow in Ebonyi State.
Richard Ozobu is being followed by some aggrieved members of Ohanaeze like Chief Emma Okocha from Delta State who claimed they were not given nomination forms in his state. But a member of the electoral committee who served with Richard Ozobu told Daily Sun that the national election has been concluded with Chief Gary Nachi Igariwey from Ebonyi State emerging President General and Dr Joe Nworgu from Imo State, beating five other contestants from the state to emerge as secretary general.
Nze Nkama also revealed that out of the 16-member Ohanaeze electoral committee that conducted the January 12 election, only Richard Ozobu declined to participate. Also Chief N. A. Anakwenze, chairman of the Igbo World Assembly who led the Diaspora people to participate in the January 12 election said it was free and fair. But Daily Sun gathered that a fresh election is scheduled to hold tomorrow in Ebonyi State which is likely to produce Amb Aja Nwachukwu or Emmanuel Agboti as parallel president general to Igariwey as confirmed by Richard Ozobu.
Daily Sun brings you excerpts from interviews with the election committee members, the new secretary general, the leader of the Diaspora and Okocha on how the Ohanaeze got to this cross-roads:
You cannot declare that Ohaneze is at a crossroad as a result of one persons’ mischevious intentions. Prince Ozobu is seeking cheap publicity and does not have respect for his uncle who is a former President General of Ohaneze.
ELECHI AND THEODORE ORJI SHOULD BE KILLED IN MARKET PLACE FOR VULTURES AND DOGS TO EAT THERE MEAT BECAUSE THEY ARE DISGRACE TO IGBO LAND. LET THUNDER STRIKE THEM FOR MAKING LIFE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THERE PEOPLE. EFCC WAKE UP AND DO YOUR JOB LEAVE IMO STATE ALONE.
@ agom. u ‘re a very primitive mind. what century is yr mind@? this is the21st ce ntury. up gade yr psyche. the ibos have hgot to update their culture & psyche. are u guys sur e u ready to lead nigeria? we are all watching
Latifa u are an idiot may the god of thunder of the yorubas strike u igbos are ever ready to rule this nation infact looking at what this two Govs have done to us they are suposed to be stoned to death
MY BRODA AGOM,I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE UNTIL MOSOB START KILLING ALL THOSE CRIMINALS IN POLITICS UNIFORM,IBOS CANNOT REGAIN THEMSELVES WHO IS ELECHI TO DETERMINE IBOS WHO LEADER THEM?
ELECHI IS OLD AND HIS SON IS THE MAIN GOVERNOR OF EBONY STATE,HE JUST THERE AS A CEREMONIAL GOVERNOR.HE DOES NOT HAVE ANY GOOD FUTURE FOR HIS PEOPLE TALK-LESS OF IBOS.
LET HIM GO AHEAD TO ORGANIZE ELECTION FOR HIS PEOPLE NOT IBOS.
WE HAVE CHOSEN A PEOPLE CHF GARY,AND LET HIM AND HIS ABUJA PEOPLE COVER THEMSELVES WITH SHAME.
If an election had been conducted and executives selected and sworn into office- this Prince Ozobu is another prince from hell and we all pray that the Holy ghost Fire of the Lord strike him down in Jesus Mighty Name- Amen and Amen.
IN EVERY 12 THERE MUST ALWAYS BE A JUDAS.MAY BE ASO ROCK IS PANICKING BCOS OF THE NEW UNITY WHICH MAY ALTER 2015 PLANING 4 A BLOCK IGBO VOTET.HEN U WILL HEAR THE 1ST PROJECT WILL BE 2ND NIGER BRIDGE,ENUGU AIRPORT,OSHA SEAPORT,OGUTA SEAPORT,IMO AIRPORT,RAIL LINES CRISES CROSSING EAST EROSION CONTROL.I AM ONE OF U,MY NAME IS BLESSING UCHE MBAKWE.U WILL HEAR THE GOVS SAYING WE HAVE ADOPTED HIM.U WILL HEAR THE SELL OUT FAKE OHANAZE SAYING HE IS OUR OWN.AFTER HIM IT WILL BE IGBO’S TURN.ANY WAY MY PRAYER IS FOR THE LIBRATION OF
IGBOS FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT CALLED NIGERIA TO THE LAND OF PROMISE CALLED BIAFARA NOT 4 THE IGBO TO BECOME NIGERIA PRESIDENT.
take note oga journalist!! “no sooner as . . . than . . . .”
Looming Ohanaeze crisis: How the election committee disagreed
So how and when has Delta State become part of Ohanaeze , an Igbo cultural group? I don’t mind if Chief Emma Okocha, probably from Asaba wants to identify with the Igbos but he should not use the name Delta State merely because Asaba people speak Igbo and rightly regard themselves as Igbos.
I hope there is no plan to include Delta state as part of the Biafra they want to create if an Igbo does not become president of Nigeria in 2015. Although I am from Delta State, I am not an Igbo just as many others. Besides, I hate all these cultural groups whose sole aims are to divide and create hatred among-st Nigeria people. This why I agree with Sanusi Lamido Sanusi that they should all be banned.
This the reason I find it difficult to forgive IBB who did not only create Delta State to include Asaba, a pure Igbo speaking town but made it its capital to please his wife who was from there.
PLS MR MARTINS SPEAK FOR YOURSELF,DELTA STATE GOVT HAS BEEN RELATING WITH OHANAEZE ON MANY ISSUES.MOST OF THE RESIDENTS IN ASABA ARE WORKING IN ONITSHA BUT PAY THEIR RENTS TO DELTA STATE.IN ANY CASE THE LAST PRESIDENT OF OHANAEZE-AMB RALPH UWECHIE IS FROM DELTA STATE,THE FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL COL ACHUZIE IS FROM DELTA STATE AND THEY ARE NOT ALL FROM ASABA.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT MORE THAN HALF OF DELTA STATE ARE IGBOS AND ANOTHER HALF ARE IJAWS WHO ACCEPTED THAT THEY ARE EQUALLY IGBOS,SO BACK OFF WITH YOUR PETTINESS.THE ISHEKIRIS SAID THEY ARE YORUBAS AND NO ONE SAID THEY SHOULD NOT ALLIGN WITH WHOEVER THEY WANT TO ALLIGN WITH.
YOU ARE BEING STUPID BY REFERRING TO OUR BELOVED DAUGHTER MIRAM AS BEING THE REASON WHY THE CAPITAL HAS BEEN LOCATED IN ASABA FORGETING THAT ASABA OFFERS FG SOME STABILITY UNLIKE YOUR MAD HOUSE WHERE YOU FIGHT EVERYDAY AND BURN HOUSES.STOP CRYING OVER SOMETHING ORDAINED BY GOD,OKAY.
Uzo from Lagos-Nnagi muru gi
You are a kid for saying only asaba people in delta are igbos. If u remove igbos in delta how many people will remain?
Untill the routen teeth is pulled out, the mouth must chew with caution. Igbos Let us respect ourselves inrespective of our present business or political position. Igbos! Igbos!! How many times have i called us, Remember that it hard to cry when the head is off, Becareful.