Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has vehemently condemned the move by a group, known as Igbo Progressive Movement, IPM, to support the nomination of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, as the next President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
This is coming less than 90 days to the scheduled election, for a new President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on January 10th-11th, 2025.
Reacting to the development, the organisation, which described IPM as an unpatriotic Igbo organisation, urged Chief Ohakim to summon his righteous resolve and unequivocally decline from such inglourious adventure.
“Recent actions suggest that an unpatriotic Igbo organization has been mobilized to entice Chief Ikedi Ohakim, a respected former Governor, into pursuing a non-existent position.
“We urge Chief Ohakim to summon his righteous resolve and unequivocally decline such temptations,” Okechukwu Isiguzoro, factional Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said that it would be both shortsighted and detrimental for Chief Ohakim to act as an impediment to the emergence of the next President General from Rivers State.
He advised him to seek other positions in the political landscape of the country as Ohanaeze Ndigbo was prepared to put its full weight behind him, in that regard.
According to the statement: “At this stage of his life, with a rich and storied political history, we implore him to focus on the political landscape, where his leadership is genuinely needed— whether that be as a Governor (for a single term), Senator, Vice President, or even the President of Nigeria in the near future.
“Should Chief Ohakim heed the voice of wisdom, Ohanaeze Ndigbo will fervently support his re-election as Governor of Imo State.
“Chief Ohakim must take heed and be mindful of those deceitful political elites who have misled two Igbo elder statesmen from Imo State, leading them to dismal ends, despite the numerous admonitions from the Igbo College of Archbishops and Bishops advocating for peace and restoration within Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“He should recognize that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is presently in a constitutionally mandated transition period, and it would be both shortsighted and detrimental for him to act as an impediment to the emergence of the next President General from Rivers State.
“As a sagacious leader, Chief Ikedi Ohakim is certainly aware of the sacred opportunity he was afforded during his tenure as Governor of Imo State from 2007 to 2011.
“He must refuse any invitations to act as an obstacle in this critical transitional phase for Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The restoration of our Igbo lineage in Rivers State, which has suffered greatly since the Biafra War, is a mission requiring collective strength and unity.
“We strongly condemn any attempts to amend the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution with the aim of facilitating a tenure elongation for the current President General from Imo State by any means.
“Such actions are inherently illegitimate and betray the principles upon which our esteemed organization was founded.”
Isiguzoro further emphasized that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has thrown its weight behind the emergence of the next President-General of the group from Rivers State.
He added that “to deny Rivers State the opportunity to assume the position of President-General in 2025 would constitute an egregious extension of 24 years of subjugation, an affront to the unity and aspirations of our people.”
Ohanaeze PG: Be mindful of deceitful elites – Isiguzoro cautions Ohakim
