Ohanaeze Disowns Faction Canvassing For Umahi To Be Senate President

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Monday, denied canvassing for Gov Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State to emerge as Senate president.

The pan-Igbo group described a publication entitled “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Canvasses for Umahi’s Senate Presidency” as ‘reckless and mischievous’.

THE WHISTLER reports that a group claiming to be Ohanaeze Ndigbo had in a statement by one Mazi Okechuwu Isiguzoro claimed that Ohanaeze had made a case that “the Senate president in this dispensation should emerge from the South East of Nigeria”.

The national publicity secretary of Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said it was unfortunate that the group had been posing as Ohanaeze, and issuing misleading statements in its name.

Ogbonnia said, “A few weeks ago, it was ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo congratulates Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’. Two days ago, it was ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo collects $400,000 from Wike’.”

He told the general public to disregard such publications, adding that, “Since the Ohanaeze election which was held on January 10, 2021, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has consistently reminded the general public that the secretary general of the body is Ambassador Okey Emuchay, and that publications of any kind coming from Isiguzoro should be ignored.

“We have deployed several means available, including reaching out to the traditional ruler of Isiguzoro’s community for him to desist from the damages he causes to the image of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization.”

Ogbonnia further stated that there has been a court order of Friday, March 10, 2023 by Justice Uchenna Mogbo of the High Court of Enugu State, stopping the Chidi Ibeh-led factional leadership from parading themselves as true representatives of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

According to him, “Justice Mogbo further declared that the ‘purported parallel election of the officers of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Ohanaeze conducted in Enugu State at the instance of the defendants is illegal and unconstitutional’.

“Ohanaeze was tempted to ignore the publication making the rounds on ‘canvassing for Senate presidency, but since silence may be misconstrued as giving validity to such a whimsical figment of a transactional imagination, this prompt rebuttal becomes very imperative.”

Ohanaeze reiterated its support to Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi’, adding that there is ‘sufficient evidence to prove that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, won the presidential election that was conducted on Saturday, February 25, 2023’.

The statement added, “We also have the supreme confidence that the unfolding events at various levels will surely vindicate the just. It is therefore a huge embarrassment that while the Afenifere, the PANDEF, the Middle Belt, the Arewa, the long oppressed Nigerian youths, the international community, etc are very busy, working hard for the enthronement of social justice, equity and good governance in Nigeria and to pluck the low hanging fruit, a meddlesome interloper will present Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a group without a focus on the ball and a sell-out to the Obi-Datti Movement.

“Let it be known that Ohanaeze does not antagonize the lofty ambition or the aspiration of anybody, but the illegitimate use of the hallowed name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is both anathematic and reprehensible.”