Igbo youth groups under the auspices of The Coalition of igbo Groups have accused the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo of not providing leadership to the region, saying it is responsible for the crisis that has rocked the body for several months.
The group in a release signed by three of its sub-groups said the nepotistic interest of the national president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo was responsible for the suspension of a report that would have seen the creation of Aba state before the 2019 election, accusing him of backing the creation of Adada state.
According to the group, since Chief Nwodo came on board as the national president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2017, the annual celebration of Igbo day has been relegated to the background, a situation it has has not helped in celebrating Igbo culture and uniting all Igbo speaking nations.
Read full release below
Igbo Groups Chides Ohanaeze Ndigbo over failure to win additional State for Southeast….Backs Ohanaeze Youths on 2023,…as OYC says its igbo Presidency or death, declares Nwodo Ohanaeze illegal,never appointed Gowon.
(1)The Coalition of igbo Groups namely: World igbo Youth Congress, Southeast Women Professionals and igbo Students Union,in a Press Statement Jointly signed by Mazi Alex Okemiri and Arc Nnamdi Uzodinma(for World igbo Youth Congress),Dr Helen Ogbonnaya (for Southeast Women Professionals) and Comrade Chidi Ugwunjo (Igbo Students Union)had described the failure of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in giving quality leadership direction to Igbos like Afenifere and Arewa Consultantive Forum as the main Controversial issues that associated with the apex igbo organisation leadership crisis, after our diligent research on the situation and from intelligent reports shows that the Crisis between the organs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is based on these findings and facts below;
(1) The Suspension of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Report on State Creation by Nnia Nwodo, Which was expected to be Recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari for Presidential Considerations before 2019 elections is the Major Cause for the internal crisis that had divided interests amongst the organs of the organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Committee on State Creation Chaired By H.E Prof Chigozie Ogbu and Dim Uche Okwukwu as the Secretary of the Committee, Submitted the Reports to the National Executive Committee for deliberations,it was discussed and Majority Voted for the Creation of Aba State against other States especially Nwodo’s Preferred Adada State, but afterwards, the sudden Suspension of the reports and non recommendation of Aba State Creation to President Muhammadu Buhari as expected, fueled Crisis as Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Confirmed the insincerity and nepotistic tendencies of Nwodo on Aba State Creation and sorted out ways to implement it through recommendation and transmission of the report to President Buhari, The Nepotistic Tendencies of Nwodo shutdown the golden opportunity for the realisation of the Sixth (equaliser )State in the South East, His Grave misdeeds had cost Igbos to lose about 300bn Annually from Revenue of Federal Government and internal Generated revenue, there’s loss of infrastructural development, loss in Expansion of political space which includes One New Governor, three Senators, eight House Representatives and 17 Lga Chairmen and employment opportunities associated with State Creation. This angered the Youth Council to seek for autonomy and independence in face high handedness of the Nwodo’s regime.
(2)Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership Crisis started Over the Failure of Leadership to Organise the Annual but Compulsory Igbo Day Celebrations which holds on September 29th every Year,and since the inception of Nwodo’s Regime in January 2017, and without any excuse or explanation, Nwodo had demonstrated epileptic but lackadaisical attitude towards the Igbo Day Celebrations as annually organized by Ohanaeze Ndigbo for promotion of Igbo Cultural Unity and Oneness of Igbo Nation, irrespective of huge funds contributed Monthly By Governors and Corporate entities, Lack of willpower to summon all igbo speaking States for the annual event where key decisions and Cultural activities are carried on in line with established Norms and Values of igbo Nation contributed to the crisis which had evidently manifested itself in non uniformity in Press Releases issued with the platform of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,by her different organs.
(3) Ohanaeze Ndigbo had failed to constitute the proper ime obi Ohanaeze Ndigbo (the apex decision making organ) which is made up Current and past Governors, Current And past Ministers and captains of industries, and the non existent of the most important organ, The General Assembly, drawn from Seven Speaking States of igbo Nation including Anioma in Delta and Rivers States, triggered loss of interests in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Activities especially from Igbo Traditional Rulers,igbo affiliated Groups and Stakeholders, its on record that there’s no General Assembly meeting in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Since Nwodo’s Regime in January 2017 at the National Headquarters of Igbo Nation.
(3) Nwodo had failed to Conclude the registration process of Ohanaeze Ndigbo which makes the apex igbo body which was initiated by his predecessor, in the eyes of the law, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is impotent,illegal and lacked willpower to make her decisions binding on Igbos Unlike the other Ethnic Nationalities Groups,We Challenge Ohanaeze Ndigbo to display in the National dailies any certificate of registration from CAC for public view, within the next 72hours, as failure to display it, will be Considered as acceptance that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is illegal before the eyes of the law.
Coalition igbo Groups after identifying these myriad of problems associated with Ohanaeze Ndigbo,thereby suggest the following, that Since;
(1) Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide is a registered Organisation and operate Under the law, with the Mandates given by igbo Youths on the Abakiliki Convention on 1st March 2018 to the leadership Of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, with a tenure of four years, they should Continue to speak for Igbos until their tenure expires in 2022.
(2) That Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide should boldly Submit the Ohanaeze Ndigbo State Creation Report, to President Muhammadu Buhari as was recommended by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Committee on State Creation which approved the Creation of Aba State, but there should be wide Consultative Meetings with relevant authorities in igboland before embarking on the persuasive action for the Creation of additional State in the South East.
(3) Coalition of Igbo Groups call on igbo Governors in Seven Speaking States to save Igbos of Complete the process of the registration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to fully legitimately operate before the law, and beg Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide to suspend any legal action against the infringement their rights by Unregistered Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as such legal action will definitely destroy the image of the already crisis ridden Organisation.
Subsequently, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide should continue to champion the quest for a Nigerian President of igbo Stock 2023.
In another development, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide wishes to inform Igbos and Nigerians that OYC is a registered organisation that operates under the ambit of The law, which Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Nnia Nwodo remained Unregistered, We wonder where unregistered Ohanaeze Ndigbo drives her powers to cast aspersions on a legitimate organization under the law, for the sake of posterity, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide had described the appointment of Yakubu Gowon to lead igbo Presidency project as a ruse and imaginative illusions of Fifth columnists and which was misinterpreted by Unregistered Ohanaeze Ndigbo through the Uninformed publicity secretaries Chuks ibegbu and Akpachi Uga, OYC irrespective of the distractions from detractors ,Igbo Youths are Committed in the 2023 igbo Presidency project.
In the Statement signed by Mazi Okwu Nnabuike Secretary General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, described Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro as a servant leader, a strong Personality, and unstoppable igbo Warrior, capable of championing the Actualization of Nigerian President of igbo Stock against all odds and We are aware of the political landmines, pitfalls and compromised saboteurs standing between Igbos and Our Political emancipation in 2023, Its 2023 Igbo Presidency project or death. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for Igbos to regain their legitimate Quest for 2023 Presidency.
