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Tag: Ohaneze

  • Release Kanu to restore peace, security in South-East – Ohaneze

    Release Kanu to restore peace, security in South-East – Ohaneze

    The Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide says that releasing the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention will restore peace and security in the zone.

    This is contained in a communiqué issued by the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation at the end of the one-day meeting of Imeobi (highest decision-making organ) on Thursday in Enugu.

    The communique was signed by its President-General, Prof. George Obiozor.

    The group said it was convinced that the release of Kanu and other Igbo youths being detained for different alleged offences remained the first crucial step towards restoring peace and security in the zone.

    It stated that Kanu’s case could be resolved through dialogue.

    It condemned the worsening security situation in the zone, poiting out that all hands must be on desk to halt it.

    The group also examined the ongoing electoral processes in the country, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    It therefore called for greater efforts in sensitising Igbo people on the importance of the voter registration.

    It underscored the need for people of voting age to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards where they reside.

    The communiqué further stated that the meeting empowered Obiozor to constitute a Political Action Committee, which would help in achieving the desired result on issues raised at the Imeobi.

    According to the communiqué, only Obiozor and the Secretary-General of the group, Mr Okey Emuchay, are authorised to issue official statements on behalf of the organisation.

    “We laud the efforts of the current leadership in steering the ship of Ohaneze and urge all the Igbo nation to give it the support it deserves,” the communique added.

  • No Igbo politician should run as vice-presidential candidate in 2023 – Ohaneze

    No Igbo politician should run as vice-presidential candidate in 2023 – Ohaneze

    The apex socio-political organisation in the Southeast, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, declared on Thursday that no politician of Southeast extraction should accept to be running mate to any presidential candidate in 2023.

    President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor made the declaration at the Imeobi Ohaneze Ndigbo meeting in Enugu.

    Obiozor said the clamour for Igbo to be elected president of Nigeria was morally and historically justifiable and a project to which every Igbo must commit

    “All the double dealings about zoning and rotation of power are orchestrated conspiracy to deprive the Southeast of the right to produce the president.

    “I encourage all the presidential aspirants from the zone to remain focused, tenacious and optimistic,’’ Obiozor said.

    He explained that the Political Action Committee (PAC) of the Ohaneze Ndigbo would meet several eminent Nigerians to persuade them to appreciate why a politician of Southeast extraction should be elected as president of Nigeria.

    Obiozor lamented the weekly “sit-at-home’’ order observed on Mondays in the Southeast and said the Igbo are recording huge losses in incomes as a result of its observance.

    “Ndigbo has tried severally to persuade the youths to realise the consequences of their actions,’’ he noted.

    Among prominent lgbo leaders in attendance at the Imeobi were Chief Nnia Nwodo, the ninth President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Sen. Victor Umeh, Peter Umeadi, Allison Madueke, Chris Iwuanyanwu and Prof. Fred Eze.

  • Ohanaeze disclaims statement on re-arrest, re-arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu

    Ohanaeze disclaims statement on re-arrest, re-arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, says it is yet to issue any public statement on the re-arrest and re-arraignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB).

    Chief Alex Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Enugu.

    Ogbonnia said that the organisation had dissociated itself from a purported press release currently in public domain.

    He warned mischief makers, impostors and charlatans peddling the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to achieve selfish gains to desist from such shameful misadventure.

    “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a publication currently circulating in the media suggesting that Ohanaeze has issued a statement regarding the alleged re-arrest and re-arraignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “Ordinarily, we would have ignored the said press release, but silence in this circumstance would mean giving validity to such fallacy by the unsuspecting public.

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor has not issued any press statement on the matter.

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo as the apex Igbo cultural organisation does not issue public statements in a hurry,’’ he said.

    The Ohanaeze spokesman noted that in the event of further breach of this warning, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo will be compelled to invoke the full weight of the law to deal with the offenders’’.

  • We won’t allow herdsmen to kill, Igbo again – Ohanaeze

    We won’t allow herdsmen to kill, Igbo again – Ohanaeze

    The Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that the Ndigbo will not fold their arms and allow Fulani herdsmen to continue to harass rape and kill her people in their land.

    The President General of the Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, in an open letter to the Inspector-General of Police, titled, ‘The road to anarchy,’ on Tuesday, said Igbo were ready and capable of defending themselves from any aggression.

    “We are law-abiding, hospitable and always ready to coexist with others as friends and brothers but not as foes and at a supreme price. Enough is enough,” Nwodo said.

    Nwodo, who recounted how two Fulani boys openly wielded AK-47 rifles in Anambra community and Commissioner of Police in the state refused to arrest those boys, “because they came from a particular section of the country.”

    The Igbo apex body asked the Inspector-General of Police, “Is the bearing of unlicensed firearms no longer illegal and therefore punishable in breach in the laws of this country?

    “The behaviour of the police probably explains why it is only police commissioners from a particular part of the country that are posted to Igbo land. This also tends to lay credence to the fears being harboured by our people that even the military laying siege to Igbo land are here to protect the interest of an ethnic group. Not only have Ndigbo been marginalised in this country, they are even being pushed to the brink. It is always said that no country survives a second civil war.”

     

  • 2019: Obiano, Nwodo allegedly trade words over Ohaneze’s endorsement of Atiku

    2019: Obiano, Nwodo allegedly trade words over Ohaneze’s endorsement of Atiku

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State allegedly lashed out on phone at the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Nnia Nwodo on Thursday in reaction to the group’s endorsement of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar for next month’s election.

    Obiano, who was disappointed that the endorsement came on a day President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the Mausoleum of Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in Onitsha, reportedly described the action of Ohanaeze and its president as idiotic.

    Nwodo was said to have been shocked by the tone of the governor’s language and wondered why the matter could not be trashed out in a brotherly discussion.

    According to a report by The Nation he (Nwodo) later sent a text message to the governor saying: “Your Excellency, Gov. Obiano, I was surprised to receive a call from you a few minutes ago in which you said the following words ‘Nnia, I didn’t know that you were so idiotic’

    “I am shocked that you can be so insolent.

    “I am sure that I was not so idiotic when I addressed your State Assembly asking Ndi Anambra to disregard the IPOB boycott of your election nor was I idiotic when I pleaded with the Commander in Chief to restore your security details.”

    “History will judge who amongst us is idiotic. If standing with the popular wish of Ndigbo makes me idiotic, I am happy to be called an idiot.”

    The Anambra State Government on Friday formally dissociated itself and the people of the state from the Ohanaeze endorsement of Atiku.

    It followed it up with a press conference at Agulu yesterday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu, where it branded the action of Ohanaeze as an act of sabotage.

    Chukwulobelu, who stood in for the governor at the press conference, claimed yesterday that Nwodo, whose father served as Minister under Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, stabbed him in the back.

    He said the endorsement of the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi, by Ohaneze Ndigbo was a slap on Zik’s face in Igboland.

    His words: “We’re not part of that decision. Our position as far as the presidential election is concerned is to keep neutrality in order not to hurt anybody and the fortunes of the Igbo in national polity.

    “From history, the Ohanaeze had failed on four occasions where they endorsed certain presidential candidates. Shall we continue that way all the time?

    “That purported endorsement by the Ohanaeze was a stab in the back to the Igbo and what we are saying is that we are not part of it”

    Obiano added that Anambra was mostly angered that all these happened on a day President Muhammadu Buhari was in the state to honour the late pioneer president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, by commissioning the Zik’s Mausoleum in Onitsha

    Obiano said, “We had expected Ohanaeze leaders to participate actively in the commissioning ceremony of the Zik Mausoleum, Onitsha, Anambra State, but they didn’t consider it an honour to be part of that historic occasion.

    “We have read bits of the communiqué purportedly issued by the Ohanaeze leadership. We regret that they do not reflect the position of the people and Government of Anambra State.”

    “The position of the Anambra State Government is that Ohaneze should remain a united organisation umbrella for all Ndigbo, and should not take sides with any party.”

    “There are major leaders in all political parties, including the three major ones in Nigeria, namely, APGA, APC and PDP.

    “It is deeply regrettable that the Ohanaeze leadership has chosen to go down a divisive trajectory capable of setting back Igbo unity for several years.”

     

  • 2019: Despite Buhari’s visit, Ohaneze endorses Atiku for president

    The Igbo socio-political group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, on Thursday endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

    TNG reports that President Muhammadu on Thursday visited Anambra as part of activities to kick start his campaigns in the south east.

    The president had during the visit reiterated his support for the south east in terms of appointment and infrastructural developments.

    Atiku, a former vice president and major challenger of President Buhari has as his running mate, Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State.

    The President General of Ohaneze, John Nwodo, announced the endorsement in a statement.

    He said the ‘Ime Obi’ which is the highest decision making council of the group took the decision in Enugu after it’s meeting.

    “In its collective search for a polity that is just, egalitarian and inclusive, the Ime Obi Ohaneze Ndi Igbo met today Thursday 24 January, 2019 at the Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, to further deliberate on the future of Ndigbo in the chequred history of a beleaguered country”.

    He said the Ime Obi took the decision after a ” critical and dispassionate appraisal of the issues and the visible fault lines in the polity, including the analysis of the election manifestos of the various contesting parties, especially with regards to the restructuring of the federation and continued relevance of the people of the Southeast in the Nigerian geopolitical space.”

    According to him, the meeting resolved as follows:

    “That Ohaneze remains the apex socio-cultural organisation that works for the interest of the Igbo in and outside Nigeria. It attempts to aggregate the views of all other Igbo platforms”

    “Ohaneze notes particularly that a major political party (PDP) by the nomination of our son Peter Obi as the vice presidential candidate has given Ndigbo an opportunity for inclusivity. Ndigbo must seize the moment”

    “That the presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has made an avowed commitment to restructuring of the federation and reconfirmed same during his recent visit to the United States in his meetings high-level US officials”

    “In consideration of the above and other relevant existential factors pertaining to the treatment of the Igbo in our polity, the Ime Obi Ohaneze, therefore, hereby ratify the decision reached at the Ohaneze National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Enugu on Tuesday 22 January, 2019, to adopt the Atiku Abubakar/ Peter Obi ticket in the 2019 presidential election. Ime Obi therefore endorses and embraces fully, this ticket without equivocation, especially with regards to the position of Ndigbo at the AWKA Declaration which insisted on a complete restructuring of the Nigerian polity”, Mr Nwodo said

    The group urged Igbos to see their PVCs as their most potent tool to ensure a restructured polity and for a better society.

    The meeting further called on the international community to help to ensure a free and credible 2019 electioneering in Nigeria

    Ohaneze also urged all Igbos to vote and to protect their votes.

     

     

  • Ohanaeze’s endorsement of Atiku all chaff, no substance – President Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that many well-meaning Igbo leaders asked him to ignore the so-called endorsement by Ohanaeze Ndigbo of the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    Buhari said he was told that the action by the Ndigbo apex group was all gas, lacking substance.

    The President made the revelation on Friday at the Presidential Villa, when he hosted a group of Igbo leaders in Abuja, who pledged to mobilize votes for him in next year’s election.

    President Buhari said, based on assurances by Igbo leaders, he was not surprised about the split within the Ohanaeze Igbo socio-cultural group after the so-called Atiku endorsement.

    President Buhari said that the moment the so-called resolution was announced, he got calls from well-meaning leaders from the region asking him to disregard it as it was without any substance.

    “From that moment, I knew that the resolution would not stand, and alas, there it was,’’ he added.

    The President said that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), got it right from the very beginning that the major problems facing the country were mainly on security, corruption and the economy.

    He said: “We have done so much. Given the chance, we will do more. Given every chance, we will tell Nigerians where we were in 2015 and what we have achieved up to now.

    “We will not get tired of speaking about the golden opportunity Nigeria lost during 16 years of the PDP. We earned money, which we didn’t use.

    “The state of infrastructure we inherited was terrible – no roads, the railway was killed and power. They lacked conscience because anybody with conscience will not do what they did.

    “We will report them to Nigerians. Let anybody lead this country but not the PDP. They were so reckless with the resources of the country.’’

    “If you ruin the economy, send your children abroad to get education, won’t they come back?” he asked, adding: “I said it 30 years ago that this is the only country we have. We must stay here and salvage it together.”

    The leaders of the delegation, Engineer Emeka Ekwuosa and the National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, informed President Buhari that the Igbos and South-easterners generally understand the good things he is doing for Nigeria which they said, had unfortunately been misunderstood.

    They promised to mobilise support for him in the south-east, saying that his re-election will be a national consensus.

  • Why Nigeria must restructure now – Ohaneze

    Why Nigeria must restructure now – Ohaneze

    Pan-Igbo group Ohaneze has again warned that Nigeria may not endure as an entity if political restructuring of the country is not carried out.

    The Coordinator of Ohaneze Youth Wing in the South South, Chief Arthur Ugwa, gave the warning on Saturday when the group visited the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) in Yenagoa.

    He argued that restructuring the nation would foster even development and ensure peaceful co-existence in all parts of the country.

    Recall that pundits have for long been clamouring for the restructuring of the country to make progress but some political interests appear not be persuaded on the issue, in spite of the multifarious political problems plaguing the country.

    “Restructuring is the only thing that will save this nation from going into extinction. Different regions must be able to manage their resources for accelerated development.

    “Our leaders have been crying for restructuring over the years. It’s incumbent on the leadership of this country to consider this option for a united Nigeria.”

    Ugwa noted that the visit to Ijaw youth leaders was imperative for the South South and South East geo-political zones to continue to build stronger relationships and ensure safety of each other.

    The Ohaneze youth leader warned that Nigeria could no longer tolerate divisive tendencies and that restructuring was the way out for peace and togetherness.

    The President of the Central Zone of the IYC, Mr Tare Porri, said that with current challenges in the country, the way out was for the country to embrace restructuring.

    He disclosed that the group would carry out a referendum on restructuring, ahead of the upcoming general elections and that only people who supported restructuring would be voted into office.

     

  • Ekweremadu: Ohaneze speaks tough, says Buhari, APC gone mad with power

    Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has condemned the detention of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by the EFCC.

    Recall that Ekweremadu was on Tuesday detained by EFCC on allegations of corruption.

    In a statement by it’s publicity secretary, Uche Achi-Okpaga, Ohaneze said the presidency has “gone mad with power and turned the anti-graft agency and security agencies into milliant wings of the All Progressive Congress”.

    “It has become imperative to state without equivocation that Nigeria’s democracy has been put under the custody of the APC and the Nigeria Police Force, the EFCC and other security agencies have been turned to militant wings of the APC.

    “We are not oblivious that there is a grand design to intimidate and cow every assumed adversary of the Government but we encourage Nigerians not to be undaunted in speaking against the totalitarian and fascist embellishments of the government.”

    Achi-Okpaga said, the “the arrest, intimidation and harassment of Senator Ike Ekweremadu lends credence to the fact that democracy is collapsing irretrievably”.

    “It is obvious that this action is a continuation of the ugly and uncivil events of last week where the once gallant Nigeria Police and the EFCC became lords unto themselves and moved to barricade the residences of the Senate President and his Deputy respectively.

    “Having failed in that orchestrated attempt to prevent the Senate presiding officers from accessing the National Assembly the fateful day they decided to go for Ekweremadu’s jugular.

    “The events of this week including the Police brigandage in the Benue State House of Assembly only depict that the Presidency has gone mad with presidential powers and l see it consuming them,” the statement added.

    The spokesman said that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown that he has no answer to the socio-political quagmires facing the country.

    The statement condemned “the current ploy to coerce all and sundry into one political party” describing it as the height of political naivety.

    “Democracy has been deadly raped in Nigeria and this is part of reasons that we have insisted on restructuring the system. With the way things are turning upside down and inside out we are only been vindicated on our stand on restructuring.

    “This Government has gotten it wrong virtually in all fores. The social media is awash with criticisms of the recent idea of building a refinery in the President’s northern State of Katsina while the oil is in the South but it is in the South that you want to build cattle ranches when the cattle and the owners are in the North. This is so paradoxical as it is antithetic,” Achi-Okpaga added.

  • Restructuring: S/East leaders back Soludo’s six-year single term plan for presidents

    Restructuring: S/East leaders back Soludo’s six-year single term plan for presidents

    Leaders in South Eastern part of Nigeria has thrown their weight behind former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Professor Charles Soludo’s proposition of a six-year single tenure for the country’s President.

    He stated this on Monday during the South East Summit on Restructuring Nigeria in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    “The tenure of office of the President shall be a single term of six years,” he said. “There shall be five Vice Presidents. One from each of the six geopolitical zones.”

    According to Soludo, the Igbos demand a nation that works in order to give everyone a sense of belonging.

    This, he noted, was why some aggrieved members of the Igbo nation were canvassing for seceding from Nigeria.

    Despite the different political differences, Soludo believes that the Igbos firmly speak with one voice on the issue of restructuring.

    Top on the demands of Ndigbo known for their entrepreneur skills in the country and across the world is the creation of the nation’s constitution and a constitutional conference enacted by the National Assembly.

    He added, “We demand a new constitution of Nigeria. We demand a constitutional conference backed by a law enacted by the National Assembly where the people of Nigeria will agree on a new, truly, federal constitution.

    “A constituent assembly should be constituted to agree on a new constitution for a new Nigeria. Such a constitution, the People’s Constitution should be approved by the people of Nigeria through a referendum to give it legitimacy and validity.”

    Soludo’s comments further reawaken the calls for restructuring Africa’s most populous nations made by prominent Nigerians.

    The calls for restructuring, with the nation going back to true federalism, gathered momentum late last year with many Nigerians seeking their support for it.

    Among the notable leaders who gave a nod to Soludo’s proposition at the occasion include, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano; Obi of Onitsha, HRM, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe; President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo;Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu;Chairman, South-East caucus , Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe Major General. Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu [Rtd.];Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu .

    Others include former governors, ex-ministers, House of Representatives members from the zone, top politicians, traditional institutions, the academia, South East professionals and other interest groups, including youth and women organisations.

    Ohanaeze holds summit amidst IPOB threat

    In the course of the event, security was heavily beefed up around the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, Anambra capital, venue where the Ohaneze Ndigbo summit on restructuring was held.

    According to reports heavily armed personnel of the Army, Navy, Police and NSCDC were strategically positioned on the adjoining roads to the venue.

    Officials of the FRSC were also around Aromma Junction and the Alex Ekwueme Square, to ensure free flow of traffic.

    Police anti-bomb units were also stationed in and around the venue, among other proactive measures taken.

    It will be recalled that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had threatened to cause security breach at the event, warning guests to stay away in their own interest.