Ohanaeze Election: Orji Kalu Urges Support For ‘Non-partisan Technocrat’ Obiozor As President

Former governor of Abia State and chief whip of the Senate, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Sunday, expressed support for the former ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, Prof George Obiozor, to succeed Chief John Nnia Nwodo as the president general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Kalu, in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER in Awka, which was signed by Emeka Nwala Esq., also called on Imeobi, the highest decision-making body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to adopt Prof Obiozor as the sole candidate.

The Abia senator said he had consulted widely on the choice of Prof Obiozor. According to the release, Kalu widely consulted with the minister of labour and employment, Senator Chris Ngige; minister of science and technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Dave Umahi, Willie Obiano, and Hope Uzodimma of Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Imo states respectively; former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu; former secretary to the government of the federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; deputy chief whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Nkeiru Onyejeocha; Senator Ben Obi, among other Igbo leaders, to support Obiozor.

He said the unflinching support for Prof Obiozor was because Ohanaeze Ndigbo ‘needs a non-partisan technocrat to steer its leadership; Obiozor possesses all the qualities needed to revive Ohanaeze Ndigbo’.

In his words, “Ohanaeze is the authentic voice of the Igbo, which exists for the sole purpose of speaking for and representing the interest of Ndigbo since its inception in 1976. It is expected to be non-partisan. We need a leadership that can rightly define and defend the interests of the Ndigbo.

“I have known Professor George Obiozor a long time ago, and I am confident he will competently lead an active, mature, hard-working and viable Ohanaeze Ndigbo. I appeal to all Abia delegates to vote for Obiozor for the betterment of Ohanaeze and growth of Ndigbo.”

Our correspondent reports that the election is billed for January 2021, and it is the turn of Imo State to produce the president-general of Ohanaeze, which would bring to an end the tenure of Chief Nnia Nwodo Jnr.