There is anxiety in the Enugu State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo over the purported endorsement of former Minister of Information, Chief John Nwodo, for the position of president-general of the apex Igbo body, Kenneth Ofo ma reports
As the January 12 date for the general election of Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, draws near, feathers are being ruffled in Enugu State as some interests have risen against the purported endorsement of former Information Minister, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, by Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for the group’s top position – President- General.
The position was zoned to Enugu State based on the rotational principle adopted by the body in 2002 under the presidency of Justice Eze Ozobu, a retired Chief Judge of Enugu State.
It was under Ozobu’s leadership that a new constitution, which still subsists, became operational with the rational principle and a four-year single tenure enshrined therein.
It was stated in the constitution that the rotation would start from Abia, Anambra, Anioma (Igbo speaking Delta), Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers, in alphabetical order. Its implementation started with the emergence of Prof. Joe Irukwu from Abia State as president-general of the apex Igbo body.
He was succeeded by Dr. Dozie Ikedife from Anambra, after which Chief Ralph Uwechue, from Anioma (Delta) came on board. Uwechue was succeeded by the outgoing president-general, Chief Gary Enwo Igariwey from Ebonyi who came on board on January 12, 2012. Based on the rotation principle, Enugu will take its turn from January 12.
Imo will take over after four years while Rivers (Igbo speaking Rivers) will take its turn after Imo, and then the rotation will start all over again.
Zoning of the position to Enugu had prompted a race for the position among many prominent sons of the Coal City State.
They include former Information Minister, Chief Nwodo; Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN); former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Allison Madueke; Chief Mike Ajogwu (SAN); and the out-going Deputy President- General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, A. O. U Onyema. Other interested persons may still join the fray at the 11th hour.
Nwodo is said to have the backing of the state government, but a former Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Chief Richard Ozobu, recently kicked against his endorsement as the consensus candidate for the position.
Ozobu argued that he was stopped from re-contesting for the position of Secretary General of the body during the immediate past administration of Sullivan Chime simply because he hails from Enugu West senatorial district with the then governor.
According to him, he was forced to concede the position to Chief Nduka Eya from Enugu North senatorial district.
Ozobu is now wondering why some people are endorsing Chief Nwodo from Enugu North for the position when the incumbent governor, Ugwuanyi, is also from the same district.
Besides faulting the zoning of the position to Enugu North, where the governor hails from, Ozobu had insisted that Nwodo is not eligible for the position as he had not been attending Ohanaeze meetings in the last 10 years.
Despite dissenting voices such as that of Ozobu, Governor Ugwuanyi is not pretending about his preference of Nwodo. He confirmed the speculation over his support for the former minister during a recent programme at Imilike in Udenu Local Government Area of the state on December 26, 2016, when he declared that Nwodo is the choice of Enugu State for the Ohanaeze top job.
The governor explained that the choice of Nwodo was a collective decision of the stakeholders in the state, who cut across political divide.
Ugwuanyi further explained that when he was informed that the position was zoned to Enugu State, he called a meeting of the stakeholders, where it was decided that it would be zoned to Nsukka.
According to him, the the decision was based on the fact that Enugu West senatorial district had taken a shot at the post while Enugu East senatorial district is currently occupying the state leadership of the pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
He further said that the stakeholders unanimously nominated Nwodo for the post after due consultation, adding that unlike in the past, the people of the state are happy with the selection process.
Similarly, two Nsukka based groups, the Eastern Mandate Association and the Nsukka Zonal Union (NZU), have thrown their support for the former Minister of Information, saying that he has the dynamism that would take the apex Igbo group to greater heights.
They berated Ozobu for opposing Nwodo’s candidacy, alleging that he is working for some members of the outgoing National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze to instigate trouble and ensure that the election of new officers did not take place as scheduled.
But, reacting to Ozobu’s position, NZU chairman in Nsukka Local Government Area, Chief Uchenna Odo, said: “Nwodo had contributed to the progress of Ohanaeze Ndigbo more than any average Igbo man.
Nwodo hosted the Ime Obi (the inner caucus) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in his house, single-handedly for over 10 years before the crises which splited the association into two factions. It was during such meetings in his house that Justice Eze Ozobu was elected as president-general.”
The Chairman of Eastern Mandate Association, Chief Chidi Kalu, who also faulted Ozobu’s position, averred that Nwodo is eminently qualified to lead the Igbo apex body. “Nwodo has the sagacity, courage and carriage just as he is reasonable. Nwodo is not a saint.
He has his baggage as a human being, but he is one Igbo leader, who is broad-minded.
He has played national politics and knows what it takes to be chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,” Kalu said. However, to allay peoples’ fear of undue advantage that Nwodo might curry from Governor Ugwuanyi, who is from his zone, the out-going Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, said candidates supported by incumbent governors of their states in the past had always failed to win elections for the group’s various positions.
He cited example of the out-going president-general, Igariwey, who according to him was not supported by his then governor, Chief Martin Elechi.
The then Ebonyi State governor, he said, supported Senator Emmanuel Agboti, but Igariwey went ahead to win the election. Nwaorgu also said that he was not the preferred candidate of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State for the position of secretary-general in 2012, but defeated the governor’s preferred candidate with a wide margin.
Meanwhile, Igariwey, on December 23, 2016 inaugurated a 21-man electoral committee for the election headed by Prof. Anya O. Anya with former Minister of Health Prof A. B. C. Nwosu as secretary.
Other members of the committee include; Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike, Prof. Ele Amucheazi, Prof (HRH) Sam Ukpabi and Col. J. O. G. Achuzie (rtd). Speaking on the task before the committee, Prof. Anya described the assignment as historic, nothing that he would ensure a credible election that would enthrone credible leadership for Ndigbo.
On his part, the out-going President General, Igariwey charged the committee to organise a very open and fair election so “that Igbos will accept the leadership, see it as fairly contested and fairly won and I expect that those who lose should accept it in good faith.”
Igariwey expressed gratitude to God that he was able to serve for four years and that he kept the flag of Ndigbo flying especially as it concerns their unity.
No doubt, the out-going executive and the electoral committee have given the assurance of conducting a free, fair and credible poll for the Ohanaeze plum job, but the outcome of the January 12 exercise will determine whether they would walk their talk.
New Telegraph
