By Chuma Austin
Historically, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an apex body of Igbo socio-cultural associations was founded in 1976 to provide a common platform for Ndigbo both at home and in Diaspora.
The founding fathers of the pan-Igbo group were Dr. Michael Okpara, Chief Dennis Osadebey Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe, Chief M.I. Ugochukwu, Dr. Pius Okigbo, Chief Jerome Udoji (the first Secretary-General), Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Dr. Anagha Ezikpe, Sir Onyenso Nwachukwu, Chief Bob Ogbuagu and Dr. Akanu Ibiam.
While the first chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo was Dr Ibiam (in whose residence in Enugu the first meeting was held) the pioneer Secretary was Chief Udoji.
Reports had it that the idea behind the formation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the founding fathers was to bring together Nigerians of Igbo extraction within and outside the shores of the country for the purpose of nurturing better understanding and harmonious relations amongst themselves, with other ethnic groups in Nigeria, and with all communities wherever they reside.
As it is, the question on the lips of many people both within and outside Igbo enclave are: Has Ohanaeze Ndigbo been serving as a clearing house and a focal point of direction and collective leadership in matters affecting the interest of Ndigbo in Nigeria and the rest of the world as envisaged by the founding fathers?
Has peace and fraternal love with all, especially our Nigerian compatriots been a cardinal goal of Ohanaeze in recent time? The aforementioned questions became imperative following the ugly development that had hither-to engulf Ohanaeze Ndigbo for decades.
Investigation by News Echo reveals that the leadership crisis is not strange to the Igbo group as it was the quest to hang on to power and the politicization of the group that erupted in what political watchers regard as an unresolved crisis in Ohaneze Ndigbo during the era of Professor Joe Irukwu from Abia State.
Prior to the January election which brought Professor George Obiozor to saddle, two major factions were and had continued to lay claim to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Little wonder, while Professor George Obiozor is saying he is the authentic President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Chief Uche Okwukwu led faction has not only opposed it but had gone ahead to open a parallel office opposite the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport, Enugu as its operational office.
The Okwukwu group had while inspecting the main Ohanaeze Secretariat at the Park Avenue, Enugu, recently, declared it as uninhabitable and vowed to secure another secretariat to run the affairs of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization.
Further checks show that both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are believed to be the external factors fueling the rumpus in the Ohanaeze as both parties would want to a strong backing from the pan-Igbo group especially in 2023 presidential election.
Perhaps, to reduce tension and acrimony during each succession, the constitution as fashioned by Professor Nwabueze states that executive offices are to be rotated among the member states in alphabetical sequence.
Professor Nwabueze was Secretary-General while Justice Eze Ozobu from Enugu State was the President-General when the tenure of Ohanaeze executive which was a two-year term was hotly debated before it was fixed constitutionally for a 4-year term.
It could be recalled that in the new arrangement that followed Justice Ozobu, Abia State had the first slot with Professor Irukwu as the President-General. Thereafter, it shifted to Anambra, with the late Dr. Dozie Ikedife, picking the leadership ticket. The late Ambassador Raph Uwechue from Delta State took over the leadership, but later vacated the position for Ebonyi State’s Chief Gary Igariwey.
Curiously, with Nwodo’s exit as the President-General of the pan-Igbo group in January this year, peace has continued to elude the union despite the fact that office of President-General was moved to Imo State as enshrined in the group’s constitution.
The puzzle is that both factions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo are drumming support for a Nigerian president of Igbo stock in 2023, hence many see the friction as an unnecessary voyage.
An inside source told News Echo that the on-going ripples started when Governor Hope Uzodinma allegedly endorsed Professor Obiozor but rejected by others on the ground that the constitution of the Ohanaeze does not recognize anointment.
Apparently for peace to reigh, Obi had few days to the election of the union executive, voluntarily stepped down paving the way for a former president general of the organization, Gary Enwo Igariwey from Ebonyi State to preside over the electoral committee.
Dr Ngige also felt then that the committee was made up of people of a particular political party. On his part, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, alleged that a political party was trying to influence the election.
How Professor Obiozor emerged as the Ohanaeze President-General in Owerri is now history but suffice it to say that there have been accusations that the governors in the region influenced the election that was held for the first time outside Parks Avenue, Enugu, the national secretariat of the union.
There are five governors in the zone belonging to three political parties. Two belong to the APC, (Imo and Ebonyi States), PDP has two governors in Enugu and Abia States, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is in control of Anambra State.
Apart from Uzodimna, all the four other governors would have ended their constitutional two terms by 2023 and have eyes for higher office.
The defection of Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi to the APC and the capture of Imo State by the party is also an indication that one way or the other, ‘Abuja’ might show interest in the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Indeed, the Okwukwu’s group has already sued the newly elected President General, Professor George Obiozor, asking the court for an order to restrain him from parading himself as leader of the group.
Okwukwu alleged, Obiozor is a “product of illegality as the election that purportedly elected him on January 10, 2021, was not conducted in line with the constitution of the organization.”
The “suspended” Secretary-General of the body (Okwukwu), had on January 9, led a faction that reportedly elected Chief Chidi Ibeh as President General of the Igbo union.
This came, as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) said that it would not recognize Obiozor as President General, alleging that it was an imposition on the South East by certain “cabals running Nigeria.” Speaking through its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group claimed that the Presidency and Miyetti Allah were “instrumental to Obiozor’s emergence.”
In the case brought before the Abuja High Court slated for hearing, Okwukwu is also asking for an interpretation of Articles 10,11,14, and 21 of the organization constitution.
For the like of the Convener, Voice from the East (VFE), a Civil Society group, Comrade Kindness Jonah, “the crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo will continue to subsist until equity is brought to bear in the Igbo group elections.
According to the civil rights activist, “The election that brought Professor Obiozor was marred by outlandish rigging and the man was treated to be the Fulani candidate, a claim that was not verified before going to the poll.
“So his opponents saw his emergence as a scam. Adding salt to the injury was almost immediate congratulation of Mr. President to Professor Obiozor. The activities of Imo State Governor in the whole campaign were seen as a bizarre to Igboness, and since the man (Imo Governor) is not in the good book of Ndigbo, anybody coming from his flank cannot be accepted.
“Judging the activities of Professor Obiozor, his body language in the killings by Fulani herdsmen in the Southeast and how he has continued to pro-cliff to Fulani tendencies by not out-rightly speaking out and condemning the activities of Fulani, it is almost a fait accompli that his critics are right afterwards”, Jonah added.
If there is any other Igbo youth who is pained by the current rumpus in Ohanaeze, it is Mazi Bismark Orji, former president of Ohanaeze Youth Council.
Mazi Orji corroborated other views of his faction that the current fractionalization in Ohanaeze Ndigbo arose from the conduct of the body’s last election in breach of its Constitution, pointing out that the Constitution states that the Secretary General shall convene all meetings, in consultation with the President General.
He noted that the Imeobi meeting of December 20, 2020 where the Chief Igariwey led Electoral Committee was set up was convened by the Administrative Secretary; a staff. Again, the Constitution states that the General Assembly is the Supreme organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo which must ratify every Imeobi decision.
Unfortunately, he said the General Assembly never met once all through the tenure of the last administration. Currently, there are several court cases challenging what has come to be known as “the Owerri Show of Shame”.
Secondly, he said, Owerri election did not meet the minimum global standards for a transparent election. There was supposed to be well publicized State General Assembly meetings to elect delegates for the National General Assembly where the National officers will be elected.
His words: “Unfortunately, that never happened. Candidates like my humble self and other Ohanaeze Stakeholders and former National officers were not aware of any state General Assembly meeting”
“In fact, Chief Nduka Eya, a former Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo stated on Urban Radio Enugu that nobody invited him to any State General Assembly, talk less of the national General Assembly, they held at Owerri.
“Again, in my 21 years involvement in Ohanaeze, at the national level, I have witnessed all the elections and they have all been done through secret ballot. At Owerri, they introduced Option A4 just to ensure voters’ intimidation
‘As such, legally speaking, the Engr Chidi Ibeh, MFR led Ohanaeze Ndigbo is more authentic since the then Secretary General was the one that convened the Imeobi meeting where the Prince Richard Ozobu Electoral Committee was set up.
‘Encouraging those who claim to have been elected in Owerri on January 10 to claim any legitimacy is encouraging lawlessness, regardless of how many governors they claim to have behind them”
News Echo recalls that some days to the January poll, the immediate-past President-General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nwodo dismissed in its entirety the purported letter from Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural organization, describing it as an insult.
The Northern group in the said letter which went viral in the social media enjoined him (Nwodo) to ensure that Professor Obiozor from Imo State emerged as his successor as it was the turn of the state to produce the next President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
They also claimed that discussions with the Governor Uzodinma indicated that Professor Obiozor would protect the interest of the Fulani as President General, and as a recompense for Chief Nwodo’s expected role in making this happen; they had forwarded his name to the presidency for an appointment.
The alleged link between the presidency and Ohaneze leadership as portrayed in the letter from the North further widened the gulf in the Igbo union.
However, loyalists to Professor Obiozor insist that the Owerri poll was credible, stressing that the option A4 adopted in an election held in an open field shows transparency as it met international standard.
Prominent Igbo politicians including former deputy president of the senate, Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Enyinaya Abaribe paid glowing tributes for the emergence of Ambassador Obiozor, saying that the Igbo Nation is at the cross roads now and needs an experienced hand like him to steer it to safety.
To many observers, the discordant tunes rocking the pan-Igbo group is an ill wind that blows no man any good in Igbo land as Ndigbo might find it pretty difficult to present a common agenda in national politics, particularly in quest for Igbo presidency in 2023.
