Igbo apex body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has nullified the purported election and inauguration of the Executive Committee of the Lagos State chapter of the body following certain anomalies within the operations of the group.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki by its National Publicity Secretary, Barr Uche Achi-Okpaga, the apex body said it had already taken over the administration of the Lagos State Chapter of the body as necessary steps would be taken to conduct an all-inclusive election to the Lagos State Executive Committee.
The statement read in part: “The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has described the purported election and inauguration of the Executive Committee of the Lagos State Chapter as a nullity and an exercise in futility.
“We therefore state in clear and unequivocal terms that the National Executive Committee has taken over the administration of the Lagos State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and shall take necessary steps to conduct an all-inclusive election to the Lagos State Executive Committee not longer than necessary after full consultations with all stakeholders in the Lagos Chapter.”
“As a result, all stakeholders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State are implored to discountenance the purported election, remain law abiding and wait for further directive from the NEC. It is pertinent to note that the rejuvenated Ohanaeze NEC led by Chief Nnia Nwodo unalloyed in her commitment to ensure that the majority interest of Ndigbo is protected at all times and shall not allow the selfish ulterior motives of a negligible few to preponderate over the interest of the majority in Lagos State and elsewhere.
“Sequel to the leadership impasse that engulfed the Lagos State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, leading to the sprouting of a parallel executive and its operational constitution, the NEC was compelled by the development to set up a high powered Reconciliation Committee chaired by the Deputy President General, Chief Hilary Opara (DIG Rtd).
Problem we learnt, started over a battle between the National body and the Lagos State Chapter executive over alleged unaccounted N40m and the refusal of the outgoing Lagos executive to have the national body of Ohanaeze preside over a new election.
It was gathered that the crisis started with the factionalization of the Lagos Chapter of the body between its current president Barrister Onwughalu on one side and his deputy Ferguson Okoli on the other side.
The crisis which bordered on alleged financial imbroglio allegedly led to the factionalization of the current executive and membership. The problem according to our source was already there before Nwodo emerged president-general of the body. Said our source: “But when Nwodo became president general of Ohanaeze, he instituted a committee of six persons from the national body at Enugu presided by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, retd, Chief Okpara who is also Nwodo’s deputy.
That means that after Nwodo, Chief Okpara is the next, then followed by the vice-presidents of the states. Each state has a vice president. The committee of six met meticulously since June and at the end, they agreed that they want conflict resolution, peace and ambiance of normality. They now called the two Lagos factions and asked if they want peace and they said yes.
They were now asked to go back to their former positions and urged not to interrupt the succession pattern and they agreed. “The committee now appointed three persons in Ohanaeze Lagos to monitor the activities of the executives and what they are doing. The three persons were Chief Guy Ikokwu, Chief Odunukwe who is the owner of Colonade Hotels and Vice President from Anambra and Dr Ebigwe who the Vice President from Delta who is resident in Lagos.”
The source said the Lagos executive promised they will do well and exit properly but a different report was submitted at the general meeting of Ohanaeze in Enugu. Said our source: “They refused to give account of their stewardship so much so that about N40million was allegedly unaccounted for.” A top chieftain of Ohanaeze in Lagos, Chief Guy Ikokwu, confirmed the story.
However, the Lagos President of Ohanaeze, Onwughalu, has said that the allegations were unfounded and all lies as he followed the procedure for doing things in Ohanaeze.
Source: Sunday Vanguard
