The Apex Igbo Sociocultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, with unwavering commitment to our founding principles, wishes to address a matter of pressing concern that threatens the very fabric of our community’s democratic traditions. Recent reports indicate a nefarious plot spearheaded by two governors from the Southeast, who are attempting to extend the tenure of the current President General from Imo State by an additional two years. This scheme fundamentally contradicts the scheduled Ohanaeze elections set for January 11, 2025, and is an affront to the democratic processes we hold dear.
It is imperative to affirm, unequivocally, that this attempt to stretch the current Imo State President General’s tenure runs counter to the tenets of the Ohanaeze Constitution, ratified in 2004, which stipulates clear and established guidelines for leadership succession. We perceive this maneuver not only as a blatant disregard for our constitutional framework but also as a deliberate strategy designed to obstruct the seamless transition of power from Imo State to Rivers State. Such a transition is enshrined in our governance process and vital for the preservation of unity and equity within the Igbo nation.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has meticulously monitored the underhanded activities orchestrated by these governors, who have seemingly retreated from their initial commitments to support a candidate from Abia State. This retreat follows a robust backlash from the Ndigbo at home and in diaspora, particularly in response to unauthorized meetings held by certain Ohanaeze chieftains with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Ogun State recently. The widespread condemnation of these meetings signals a strong, unyielding opposition among the Igbo populace against any form of constitutional dereliction.
Further intelligence suggests that these governors are mobilizing substantial resources, with the complicity of two former Presidents General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to manipulate influential Igbo elder statesmen, traditional rulers, and opinion leaders into endorsing an unconstitutional tenure extension. This sinister collaboration, shrouded in deceitful rhetoric and opportunistic alliances, seeks to install an indigene of Imo State in a move masked as a lawful succession, but which is, in essence, a calculated attempt to monopolize power and disrupt the electoral process.
It is crucial that we, as a collective body of Igbos at home and abroad, rise in solidarity to resist these insidious conspiracies. The pursuit of unity, strength, and dignity within our ranks necessitates a vigorous and unwavering response to any attempts to undermine the constitutional rights of the Rivers State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. We must declare, in a unified voice, that the upcoming elections for the position of President General on January 11, 2025, will proceed as planned, as decreed by our 2004 Constitution.
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has articulated the organization’s proactive stance: “We are undertaking decisive measures to dismantle these senseless conspiracies against our Constitution. The transition of leadership from Imo State to Rivers State is sacrosanct and inevitable.”
We implore our people to resist any unconstitutional proposals for an illegitimate extension of tenure from Imo State. Such machinations are dead on arrival, and we must remain resolute in protecting our democratic principles.
The sophisticated Igbo Nation anticipates the forthcoming transition programs and remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold democracy, equity, and the rights of all Igbos. Together, we shall navigate these challenges, embracing our shared destiny with dignity and purpose.
Signed,
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro
Secretary General
Ohanaeze Ndigbo
