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Tag: Ohaneze Ndigbo

  • Insecurity: Buhari’s tweet meant for an enemy not citizens – Ohaneze Ndigbo President

    Insecurity: Buhari’s tweet meant for an enemy not citizens – Ohaneze Ndigbo President

    …asks South East governors to roll out Ebubeagu
    …hail governors for recognising May 30th
    …advises youth to stop destroying govt facilities
    …insists Ndigbo will not support break up
    President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worlwide, Prof. George Obiozor has described controversial tweet of President Muhamnadu Buhari as a statement meant for an enemy not citizens.
    Obiozor made the disclosure in a statement he issued entitled: ‘Nigeria at Crossroads of History’ on Friday.
    In his words: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo wants to make it categorically clear that Ndigbo will not support break-up of Nigeria but Ndigbo will not be victims of Nigerian unity.
    “In this context, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide consider as unfortunate the implications of the President’s statement. The last time I checked or heard a President speak of (shock and awe) it was reserved for the enemy, not to citizens.
    He also urged the south eastern youth to stop destroying government facilities as violence cannot solve any problem as he hails the governors in the east for supporting May 30th as a public holiday to mark the civil war of 1967-1970.
    Read full text below:
    NIGERIA AT CROSSROADS OF HISTORY
    BEING TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY AMBASSADOR PROFESSOR GEORGE OBIOZOR, PRESIDENT GENERAL, OHANAEZE NDIGBO WORLDWIDE ON JUNE 4, 2021 AT THE SECRETARIAT, NO 7 PARK AVENUE, GRA, ENUGU.
    Ohanaeze Ndigbo supports the South East Governors declaration of public holiday on May 30th as a Biafran day. For Ndigbo and most Africans, a time to mourn or remembrance of the dead is traditionally a solemn occasion.
    It is imperative and proper for Ndigbo to remember Ndigbo and others who died across the country either in the genocide or civil war in Nigeria from 1967 to 1970.
    Also Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide urges the Governors of South East to roll out the Ebubeagu Security outfit.
    Ohanaeze Ndigbo wants to make it categorically clear that Ndigbo will not support break-up of Nigeria but Ndigbo will not be victims of Nigerian unity. In this context, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide consider as unfortunate the implications of the President’s statement. The last time I checked or heard a President speak of (shock and awe)it was reserved for the enemy, not to citizens .I also want to appeal to all Igbo youths involved in violence and strongly advice them that there is nothing to celebrate in violence. We cannot change our lots and situations by steering and provoking hatred amongst ourselves, raining insults and abuses on ourselves and declaring war against those who disagree with your own ideas and approach to resolving our common problems.
    What good does it do to us in the destruction of Government institutions and facilities, most of which were built by our own people and donated to the Government for our own benefit and the general good of the Society. I appeal to Igbo youths to kindly avoid violence inspite of all provocations. We know how aggrieved we all are, but peace options are the best.
    Ohanaeze once more urges the Federal Government to reconsider the use of force in resolving the present national crises.
    Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide considers it imperative on the part of the Federal Government to conduct urgent indepth investigations on the destruction of lives and property in the South East.
    May I repeat that history shows that military and violent means to solve the National problem leads to national fractionalization, anarchy and eventual or inevitable disintegration. The Federal Government should realise and be confident enough, that no secessionist forces can defeat Nigeria. The action of any of the secessionist groups will continue to be like a river threatening an ocean with drowning. We must also recognize the historical fact that in any society where injustice becomes a rule or law, resistance becomes a duty or an obligation.
    Nigeria has a history of crises and continuity as well as creative use of crises as a means of solving our national political problems whenever we are near the brinks of catastrophy. In the recent past we have had NADECO, Niger Delta Militants and Boko Haram Insurgency. The present situation in the country will soon be history. This too shall pass.
    Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide calls for a dialogue to resolve the present national crises. The Federal Government should acknowledge that because of the reality of Nigerian irresistible pluralism it is always preferable to go for dialogue instead of force.
    Majority of Nigerians prefer unity to secession or separatism. They want Justice, Peace, Equity and Fairness. The golden rule of do unto others what you would like done unto you, that is complimentarity and inclusive governance.
    In fact a brief glance at Nigerian society, there is no shortage of villains among our political elites. But like many societies a deeper look into Nigeria you will see that the country’s political heroes still exist, though the villains may noisily dominate the political space.
    Consequently to secure Nigeria, to develop Nigeria and to have peace, the Federal Government should immediately engage all Nigerian groups through their various Leaders in an urgent dialogue. Dialogue is what patriotic Nigerians, Nigerian well wishers/admirers and the international community is now expecting of Nigerian leadership to resolve the present national crises, and not military action. It is time for peaceful action and dialogue not war and destruction.
    Finally, Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on the Federal Government to take note of the ongoing human rights violations in the South East zone. We must beware of its international consequences and domestic implications in our ability to heal the Nigerian nation. Nigeria is at crossroads of its history and destiny. Let wisdom prevail.
  • Ohaneze leadership: Osuagwu joins race to take over Nwodo’s job

    Ohaneze leadership: Osuagwu joins race to take over Nwodo’s job

    Prof. Chidi Osuagwu says he has resolved to run for the position of the President-General (P-G) of Ohaneze Ndigbo.

    He said his resolve was in response to calls by Igbo patriots across the world.

    Osuagwu disclosed this at a news conference in Owerri on Wednesday, where he officially declared his ambition to contest for the post.

    The position has been zoned to Imo, after Enugu State, where the current P-G, Chief Nnia Nwodo hails from.

    Osuagwu said he decided to join the race after seeking God’s endorsement and due consultation from his family, friends and those who believe in the Igbo cause.

    “I wish to announce to you today that I will be contesting for the president-general of Ohaneze-Ndigbo.

    “This decision was born out of my conviction that with a leadership built on integrity, we can make the future we seek for.

    “The tasks before us are enormous, we have a responsibility to recalibrate the Igbo homeland economy by building confidence in our people both in Nigeria and in diaspora,’’ he said.

    He said that he would strive to promote mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence between the Igbos and people from other ethnic nationalities.

    Osuagwu gave an assurance that he would strongly uphold the dignity of the Igbos and protect the sanctity of their culture.

    He further promised to foster the leadership that would seek to end the alleged marginalisation and deprivation of the South-east.

    “It will be my primary goal and objective to seek for ways to unite all in the greater Igbo family, seek to understand rather than ostracise the younger generation and better guide them towards their future.

    “The agenda for a president of Igbo extraction in 2023 shall be our priority.

    “But we must make relevant consultations to ensure we do not present unmarketable candidate to Nigerians,’’ Osuagwu said.

    He regretted that the leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation had suffered systemic failure in the past.

    He, therefore, promised to rekindle the legendry Igbo spirit to be able to rise to the ocassion, whenever the need arose.

  • Elections: Ohaneze Ndigbo goofed by endorsing Atiku – Kalu

    Elections: Ohaneze Ndigbo goofed by endorsing Atiku – Kalu

    Former Abia governor, Chief Orji Kalu, has berated the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, for endorsing the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Abubakar Atiku.

    Kalu expressed his disappointment with the group on Sunday in an interview with newsmen in his Camp Neya country home in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of the state.

    He said that the John Nwodo-led executive of the organisation betrayed the people’s trust and exposed the body as being partisan.

    “Ohaneze is a socio-cultural organisation and so should not be seen to be partisan. What the leadership did by endorsing Atiku was not in the interest of the Igbo nation.

    “The endorsement also did not enjoy the support of the majority of members but may be a committee’s decision,” he said.

    Kalu described the endorsement as wrong and capable of decimating the organisation into two factions, if not rescinded.

    He said: “I was very surprised that Nwodo, whom I have a lot of respect for, could do such a thing because that is not the right thing to do.

    “What they just did implies that we have two Ohanezes, or we are going to have another organisation in a different name.

    “I will be in consultation with Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra and other people of goodwill to decide what we will do next, we are not going to accept it.

    “These are card-carrying members of PDP, they cannot use Ohaneze platform to endorse any candidate, it’s not acceptable to us.

    “We want a level playing ground. I expected Ohaneze to be neutral, whoever wins, they should support.

    “I’m not even expecting them to endorse Buhari, we want them to be neutral because neutrality is the hallmark of every independent cultural association,” Kalu said.

    The former governor dismissed the fear that the endorsement would sway the voting pattern in the South-East against President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said that South-East APC had begun intensive campaign in churches and communities to showcase the president’s performance in the zone in just barely four years of his administration.

    He further dispelled the speculation that the president hated Ndigbo, saying that Buhari had done for the area what PDP government could not do in their 16 years.

    He cited the ongoing rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and the construction of the second Niger Bridge as some of Buhari’s major projects in the area, to buttress his point.

    He said: “I don’t know why people always say that Buhari hates the Igbos because I know Buhari very well. He is a friend to Ndigbo. Am I not a friend to President Buhari?

    “I know that on February 16, Abia will give him more than 85 per cent of their votes.”

    Kalu, who is the APC candidate in Abia North Senatorial District, expressed great confidence that the party would have landslide victory in all the elections.

    “The party has the antidote against rigging,” he said, adding that the party also had what it would take to win the polls at all levels in 2019.

    “We will never allow anybody to rig us out in Abia again. We shall match them force by force and money for money,” he said.

    He gave assurance that he would pursue the enactment of bills that would help to transform the nation’s economy, create jobs and ensure agricultural revolution in all the states of the federation, if elected.

  • 2019: Ngige speaks on Ohaneze Ndigbo’s endorsement of Atiku

    Minster of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has described the endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by Ohaneze Ndigbo as partisan.

    Ngige said what played out was mere congregation of party men that hurriedly took a decision without due consultation of the real Ime-Obi Ohaneze Ndigbo.

    The Labour and Employment minister made his feeling known in a chat with journalists on Sunday in Awka.

    The minister said the meeting was constituted by the President-General of the union with members of the PDP and passed the resolution in favour of Abubakar.

    “The purported decision of Ohaneze endorsing Atiku Abubakar of the PDP as the Ndigbo choice was a distraction and should be disregarded by well meaning Igbo sons and daughters.

    “The decision was ill-conceived and should be ignored by Ndigbo as it’s a decision propelled by PDP members in Ohaneze Ndigbo, hurriedly taken to drum support for their party members in the coming election,” he said.

    Ngige expressed disappointment that the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation would degenerate into meddling in partisan politics.

    He said that the people of the South East have spoken in the rallies attended by hundreds of thousands of Igbo citizens in Enugu and Onitsha as to their political choice.

     

  • 2019: Ohaneze Ndigbo denies endorsing Atiku for President

    2019: Ohaneze Ndigbo denies endorsing Atiku for President

    The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo has denied endorsing Atiku Abubarkar, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 16 presidential election.

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Chuks Ibegbu, disclosed this on Thursday in Enugu at a media briefing to mark the second anniversary of the current executive of the organisation.

    Ibegbu said the clarification became necessary following misconceptions on the event of November 14, 2018 where some Igbo leaders endorsed the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar for presidency.

    It would be recalled that some Igbo leaders had during a meeting in Enugu attended by Abubakar and the national leaders of the PDP including the Senate President, Bukola Saraki endorsed Atiku.

    Ibegbu, however, clarified that the said endorsement was done by the friends of Abubakar, adding that the organisation had not endorsed any particular candidate.

    The deputy national publicity secretary said that the organisation needed to be circumspect, “as our children are in all the political parties.’

    “It is erroneous to say that we endorsed Atiku. Ohaneze Ndigbo did not endorse anybody. That meeting at Nike Lake Resort was organised by friends of Atiku.

    “However, due to our peculiar circumstance in the country, we will identify with candidates that will restructure Nigeria if voted into power,” he said.

    He said the organisation would soon meet to take a holistic position on the 2019 general elections.

    “Ohaneze Ndigbo has been canvassing for our people to identify with candidates that will restructure Nigeria.

    “We still stand on that and in the next few days we shall meet to take a holistic position on the elections,” he said.

    Ibegbu noted that within the two years in office of the John Nwodo led Ohaneze Ndigbo, “we have given our modest contribution by re-jigging Igbo leadership and issues concerning our people”.

    He said the current leadership of the organisation had built synergy with its affiliate groups with a view to achieving unity in the area.

    He said the dexterity and leadership acumen of Nwodo had positively affected the relationship between the organisation and other ethnic socio-cultural associations in the country.

    “This has earned the president general an award as ‘Bridge Builder of the Nation’, which will be presented to him on January 17 by Daily Independent Newspapers,” Ibegbu said.

     

  • Tension in Bayelsa as Igbo factions disagree over cultural day celebration

    Barring any last minute intervention by the Bayelsa Government and security agencies in the state, two factions of Ohaneze Ndigbo may clash during the ongoing celebration of Igbo cultural day in Yenagoa.
    Already, security has been beefed up at the Ox-bow lake pavilion, venue of the celebration, due to the crisis that engulfed the pan Igbo cultural group in the state.
    Chief Mark Nkem is recognized by the national leadership as the caretaker chairman of the group, while the Special Assistant to Bayelsa Governor on Non Indigenes, Mr Okwudiri Chukwu Okoh, is also leading another faction.
    Addressing newsmen in Yenagoa, the chairman, Igwe-In-Council for Ohaneze Ndigbo in Bayelsa, Chief Ernest Uzoefuna, said the national leadership had directed that this year’s celebration be put on hold till after the body’s election where conflicting issues would be settled.
    He said they were surprised to hear that Chukwu Okoh’s led faction had gone ahead to fix Igbo Day for Saturday, after the national body had met with both factions earlier in the week.
    The situation, he said, could degenerate into crisis when the two factions met.
    According to him, “Article 37 of Ohaneze Ndigbo constitution states that when there is crisis, Igbo day should be put on hold till that crisis is resolved.
    “The constitution is very explicit, no person should be allowed to use his personal interest to cause problem between Igbo people in Bayelsa,” he said.
    He said that the national leadership of Ohaneze had already written to the state government, and the security agencies in the state on the implication of allowing the celebration to hold.
    Also, the vice president of Ohaneze Youth Wing in Bayelsa, Mr Uchenna Okoro, and the secretary, Mr Nwosu Chukwuemeka, pleaded with the state government and security operatives to put the celebration on hold, to forstall any breakdown of law.
    The special assistant to Bayelsa State governor on non indigenes, Mr Okwudiri Okoh, dismissed the allegation, saying the Igbo cultural day was one of the ways to unite Igbo people living in Bayelsa.
    He disclosed that the day was not organized under the platform of Ohaneze Ndigbo, but the Igbo community in the state.
     

  • PDP calls for investigation into explosion at Nwodo’s country home

    PDP calls for investigation into explosion at Nwodo’s country home

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for investigation into the explosion at the country home of the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Nnia John Nwodo, at Ukehe in Enugu State.

    The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday in Abuja, condemned the explosion.

    He described the action of the arsonists as callous, horrendous and wicked.

    “Party invites security agencies to unravel the identities of the masked characters behind the dastardly act.

    “All our security agencies must swing into action and arrest the culprits to serve as deterrent to others.

    “Our nation cannot afford another form of criminality in view of the psychological trauma Nigerians are going through with bloodletting and killings in many states of the federation,” he said.

    The police in Enugu State have confirmed minor explosion at Ukehe country home of Nwodo in the early hours of Sunday.

    A statement issued in Enugu on Sunday by the police spokesperson, DSP Ebere Amaraizu, said the Commissioner of Police in the state had already visited Ukehe in Igboetiti Local Government area of Enugu State.

    Amaraizu said that the command had vowed to unmask those behind the dastardly act.

     

  • Biafra: Buhari meets Sout-East Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with governors and leaders of south-eastern states over the recent agitations in the region.

    The meeting held inside the new Banquet hall of the State House in Abuja shortly after Islamic prayers.

    The leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, who spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting said they had a “frank and robust exchange” with the president concerning the alleged neglect of the region by successive administrations.

    “We dealt with problems of development in the South-east, basic capital projects which have for a very long time been neglected not just from this government but for a very long time.

    “Major arteries of federal highways in the South-east have been in complete state of disrepair. Enugu-Onitsha, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Aba-Ikot Ikpene are virtually impassable.

    “We talked about the inland waterways and the dredging of the River Niger. We talked about the reticulation of gas pipeline on the South-east. We export gas from the south-east to the other parts of the country, but there is no reticulation of the pipeline and industrial clusters in the south-east,” he said.

    Nwodo also said the meeting discussed the bad state of the only international airport in the region.

    “We got assurance from the president that he will deal with each of those problems,” he said.

    The Ohanaeze leader said the meeting also discussed alleged marginalization of the South-east by the Buhari administration, saying, “like I have said these problems have been there overtime and we have had several presidents, it didn’t just happen in the last two years. But we expressed the desire that he should be able to address them.”

    He said the South-east leaders were confident the president will deliver on his promise to them.

    “There is no reason for me to doubt him because this is the first time I have had this interaction with him. I have the feeling that he spoke to us very frankly,” he said.

    On whether the meeting discussed the issue of the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra, IPOB, an organisation seeking secession from the Nigerian state, the Igbo leader said, “We talked about IPOB as a symptomatic consequence of the continuous marginalization of the South-east over a long period of time.

    “Understandably our children are restive and we want to make sure that the federal government is responsive to the issues that have cumulated in the quintessence of these agitations.”

    The federal government has since declared IPOB a terrorist organisation and arrested several of its members.

    Other issues discussed, according to Mr. Nwodo, include “devolution of powers, the constitution, the paucity of the states and local governments in our place.”

    “And the president has asked that he be given time to look at this more holistically,” he said.

    TheThose who attended the meeting include governors from the South-east, traditional rulers and leaders of the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo.

  • You are safe in South East, Ohanaeze assures Northerners

    The President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo, on Thursday assured northerners resident in the south East of their safety.

    Nwodo gave the assurance when he visited Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje at the Government House, Kano.

    He said every Nigerian is expected to live in any part of the country without discrimination or harassment.

    “Every Nigerian can live in any part of the country of his choice and no harm will ever come to a Northerner in the East.

    “When the temperature is high we tend to forget what bind us together and we forget the sweet past.

    “If there was any disturbance in Kano where we have 1.6 million Igbos, the entire Igboland would have been in mourning by now,” he said.

    He commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Kano state government for promoting peace and brotherhood among the people.

    Nwodo said the visit was to deliver the message of all Ndigbo and leaders in the zone.

    “Nigeria should not experience war the second time as it will not augur well for the country.

    “We must remain partners in progress of our country as we have seen how our own fathers lived to make it grow and develop,” the Ohanaeze chief added.

    He said unity and peaceful co-existence must be the responsibility of all.

    Kano State Acting Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, told the delegation the state would always be home for all Nigerians irrespective of their religious beliefs.

     

  • Buhari congratulates Nwodo, promises to work with Ohaneze Ndigbo

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday congratulated the newly elected President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo and expressed readiness to work with the new leadership of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

    He assured Igbos that his administration would continue to be a partner-in-progress in implementing suggestions, measures and programmes to advance the unity, development and prosperity of Nigeria.

    The President said this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

    Buhari, who congratulated Chief John Nwodo on his election as the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, noted that Nwodo “is eminently qualified for the job given his long years of distinguished service to the nation.”

    The President said this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

    Buhari, who congratulated Chief John Nwodo on his election as the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, noted that Nwodo “is eminently qualified for the job given his long years of distinguished service to the nation.”