Ohanaeze Set To Review ‘Defective’ Constitution

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is set to review its constitution to ‘accommodate current developments which were not envisaged’ in its present constitution. Our correspondent reports that Ohanaeze’s constitution was last amended in 2003.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, the constitution which presently rules Ohanaeze “is a product of a constitutional crisis which took place at Imeobi Ohanaeze held at the Hotel Presidential, Enugu on November 24, 2003.”

He said, “In order to resolve the constitutional impasse, the Imeobi Ohanaeze had to set up a Constitutional Review Committee headed by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

“The Iwuanyanwu committee was mandated to present a report to the Ohanaeze General Assembly at Owerri, Imo State on Sunday, November 30, 2003. The report was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly and formed the basis for the election of the National Officers on the same day.

“In spite of the commitment and prudence exhibited by the Iwuanyanwu Committee, there are still some discrepancies and unanticipated dynamics that were not contemplated in the last two decades. In other words, it is inconceivable to expect a constitution that was last reviewed twenty years ago to fulfil the expectations of the present realities.”

He said it is against this backdrop that the National Executive Council is calling for memoranda from “all the patriotic Igbo sons, daughters, all the Ohanaeze chapters, Ohanaeze Women Wing, Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Ohanaeze affiliates, traditional rulers, town unions, professional bodies, churches, Igbo interest groups and other relevant organizations’ towards producing a more comprehensive constitution for the pan-Igbo group.”