2023: Only handshake across borders can guarantee Igbo Presidency – Ohanaeze

Razaq Bamidele

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide has asserted that, threatening and blackmailing other tribes from other regions in Nigeria cannot win the presidential slot for the South-western part of the country, insisting that only friendship handshake across all the geo-political regions can do the magic.

This admonishment was contained in a statement signed by its Director General Strategic Planning and Implementations, Amb. Tony Chiemelu Obizoba, who also warned those issuing unauthorised statement about the Assembly, urging the general public and those in authorities to disregard such statements.

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In its first statement in 2022, the Assembly announced to Nigerians home and abroad that it will no longer be tolerated that some people would issue statements or make comments and attribute them to Ohanaeze Ndigbo without the Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide endorsing them, stating that, “those comments cannot stand and so should be disregarded because those issuing them in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo are not legitimate body to speak for or direct the affairs of Igbo people.”

The statement said, “having been through the many discrepancies resulting from the cacophony of voices and which has had adverse effect on the fortunes of the race, we are hereby making it clear to Nigerians and constituted authorities in the country to know that the only legitimate body that can speak on behalf of Ndi Igbo in terms of matters of importance is the Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide being the one registered by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and so recognised by law to do so.”

The Assembly also seized the opportunity to dissociate itself from those divisive comments such as threatening the sovereignty of Nigeria, other tribes and regions should Igbo not get what in the project called Nigeria in time they are specifying, mainly 2023 elections.

“Our position on the forthcoming general elections is that the Ndi Igbo, if they need any position, should build bridges and consult widely within the various divides, not asking anybody that has declared interest to drop his interest and wait for Ndi Igbo to come and present its candidate.

“Against this background, we urge our people that if we must have a stake in the project called Nigeria, then we have to begin to build bridges with immediate effect. We have to build a wider consultation from the stakeholders of Ndigbo,” it added.

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo, is therefore urging all stakeholders to unite as one, dialogue and consult widely with the North and West to be able to establish their presence and cordial relationship before talking of attaining any certain position, insisting that, the Assembly we is not going to play along with the other group of people calling themselves Ohanaeze Ndigbo and who are asking those that have declared interest to run for presidential seat to drop their ambition.

“From the foregoing, we notice that people are battling from all angles to hijack this Ohanaeze Ndigbo for their own selfish interests and this is happening especially from the illegitimate groups and some of the few governors trying to outshine the legitimate body that is Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide. We will, however, not allow them to do so, whoever intends to do business with Igbo should know that, transacting with illegitimate such groups means being on one’s own.

“As for us, we will continue to urge our leaders to build bridges and consult widely with the various divides to be able to discuss, if actually we want this project Nigeria to succeed. This is because, you cannot talk of Nigeria project and then you say you don’t want to talk to the North or the West. It means you are just talking to yourselves, it is not done. A paradigm shift now is a must,” the statement concluded.