Oyo State chapter of the Igbo socio cultural group the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has dismissed the election conducted by the Oyo state Ohanaeze Ndigbo World wide.
The body disclosed this in a communique it signed after the town hall meeting held among all the factions which include the Igbo Community Development Association (ICDA) / Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Oyo Igbo Patriots composed of the Imo State Towns Development Association (ISTDA).
Speaking in Ibadan at the Weekend, the Secretary and Legal Adviser of the body Barrister Udo Ofurunna who represented the President of the body Chief Sir Godwin Mba said that the communique was signed by President who is from
Enugu, the Vice President,Chief Emmanuel Ndidi Nzeako from Abia state, Barrister Udo Ofurunna from Imo state ,who is the Secretary/ Legal Adviser as well as Dr Friday Isaac Ogada from Ebonyi state who is the Treasurer.
Others who signed are Engr Tonye Brown from Rivers state, who is the Publicity Secretary, Chief Raphael Amuta from Anambra who is the Financial Secretary and Mr Steve Ogbolu from Delta state.
Barrister Ofurunna explained that Ohanaeze Ndigbo being a socio-cultural group, is not a political party nor an affiliate of any political party or group adding that not “withstanding that our brothers decided to abandon this body to form a new one tagged Oyo Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, we are resolute in consolidating and sustaining the Oyo state chapter of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo even though we were in different camps before “
He said further that “ from the objective mind, we are reconciled and remain united for the common good of Ndigbo in Oyo state and remains the Oyo state chapter of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo national headquarters at no 7 Parklane, Enugu besides being committed to the constitution, rules and procedures of the national body which are in line with the core values of uniting Ndigbo.
The Secretary noted further that the body condemned in strong terms the illegal election purportedly conducted on December 14, 2024 by “our brothers who chose to go astray and thereby declare all their activities null and void “ pointing out that the the invitation by Oyo state government to the unveiling of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide constitution on December 11, 2024 at the House of Chiefs at the state Secretariat is an irrefutable fact that “they are running a political Ohanaeze as they earlier called it stressing that “it strongly dissociates itself from such unconstitutional activity”
The Secretary said further that the erstwhile factional groups who made up their minds to move Ndigbo forward in love, peace and unity in Oyo state have remained united to sustain Ohanaeze Ndigbo Oyo state chapter positing that “for clarity purpose, we are composed of the ICDA, Igbo Patriots and ISTDA with membership cutting across the seven states of Ndigbo observing that “the recent valedictory meeting convened by High Chief Benjamin Ndubuisi Okorie and his followers was a testament to his exit from Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Oyo state.
Barrister Ofurunna stated further that “ consequently in the spirit of a reconciled and united house, Chief Ndidi Nzeako was unanimously chosen as the current Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Oyo state chapter while other members were equally selected to occupy various offices of the body as required by the constitution.
He also said that “ having put our house in order,we wishes to inform Ndigbo and the general public that arrangement is on going to conduct a legitimate, credible, free and fair transparent and people oriented election of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Oyo state chapter in line with the provision of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo while the details of the election will be made available to the public after due consultations with the Ohanaeze Ndigbo national headquarters in Enugu even as he maintained that no matter how long the log of wood remains in water, it can never become a crocodile since there is no amount of illegality that can legalize another illegality noting that the body remains on the path of due process, justice, equity and fairness.
The Secretary enjoined majority of Ndigbo in Oyo state who feel sad and disappointed by the truncation of the noble process of reconciling Ndigbo in Oyo state to remain calm as the body is poised to right the wrong by the grace of God emphasizing that “ we shall all together arrive at our desired destination of having a united, peaceful, focused and progressive Igbo leadership devoid of selfishness, mediocrity, injustice, illegality, oppression and other vices.
