From John Adams, Minna
A major crisis has hit the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo Worldwide following the outright rejection of the appointment of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as the President of the pan-Igbo Cultural Group by one of the contenders of the office, Dr Valentine Oparaocha.
It could recall that Dr. Oparaocha is of the contestants to the seat of the President in the last election that produced the former leader to the pan-Igbo group, late Chief George Obiozor.
However, with barely two weeks after the pronouncement of Chief Iwuanyanwu as the replacement for late Chief George Obiozor, Dr. Oparaocha has come out strongly to condemn the appointment of elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Oparaocha spoke to Newsmen in Minna, the Niger State capital against the backdrop of reports that some Igbo leaders from Imo state presented Iwuanyanwu to Imo state Governor as the President of Ohaneze after the death of George Obiozor on the 9th of January, 2023.
He described as laughable, the presentation of Chief Iwuanyanwu by Governor Hope Uzodinma for ratification by few Igbo Leaders from Imo as the President of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo World-Wide with membership cutting across the entire Igbo speaking states from within and in the diaspora, saying such charade will not stand.
According to him, “In the first instance, Obiozor was elected when the entire Igbo race who came together either by proxy or sending a representative from within and outside Nigeria. I came 2nd after Obiozor”, Oparaocha insist, adding that it is illegal for anybody to assume leadership of Ohaneze through the backdoor.
Oparaocha who said he is also from Imo state where the seven others, including late Obiozor who contested the seat hailed from, argued that it doesn’t just make sense for some people to wake up one day and announce a replacement for late Ohaneze leader without recourse to due process, rules or constitutional provision guiding the appointment of the President of Ohaneze.
Speaking further, he pointed out that “We were eight of us that showed interest in the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo Worldwide Presidency, but only three of us participated in the contest, including late George Obiozor who eventually won. If there is anything to do with replacement, it has to be done through same process else it would be a mockery of the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo Presidency seat.
“All the contestants went through the electoral process, including the screening in accordance with constitutional provisions, it would be a great injustice if few Igbo leaders from Imo state can present Iwuanyanwu, a man I so much respected as a replacement to late Obiozor just like that”.
Oparaocha who said he least expect that a respected man of Iwuanyanwu pedigree would allow himself to be used by some self-seeking Igbo leaders from Imo state alone for personal gains even when it is clear that age is not on his side as provided in the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo constitution called on the culprits to retrace their steps to avoid causing chaos in Ohaneze.
According to Oparaocha, “Iwuanyanwu is more than 80 years as at today, why would anyone want to foist him on us? Why wouldn’t they allow him to enjoy his old age after serving the Igbo race at different fore and capacity?
“In Ohaneze constitution, it is stated that, “The President-General should be between the ages of 50 and 70 years old”, but Iwuanyanwu is above the age limit. By rotation, it is still the turn of Imo state indigenes to produce Obiozor replacement to complete the tenure that is expected to last between, 2021 and 2025.”
Oparaocha also argued that, “Going all out against constitutional provisions of ascension to the seat of Ohane Ndi-Igbo Presidency by some Igbo leaders in Imo state and accepting to do their biddings by Governor Hope Uzodinma are clear indications that some people deliberately want to create crisis in Ohaneze.”
While calling on all stakeholders to wade in and stop those he regarded as ‘enemies of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo Worldwide’ in Imo State from creating chaos within the pan-Igbo group, Oparaocha, who is a retired security expert, insisted that he will not accept deliberate violation of the Ohaneze constitution which Iwuanyanwu himself was instrumental to.
“We obediently obliged and went through the entire electoral process; no compensation for transportation, hotel accommodations paid, feedings, advertisements/campaigns, no refund of monies spent for the purchase or form. So it is now wrong to obey the constitution or to do the right thing?,” Oparaocha queried.