•Insists on non-interference of the election by Southeast governors
•Advises Nnia Nwodo to quit from Impunity
The National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council(OYC), the apex youth body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, has applauded Chief Nnia Nwodo-led executive council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for the quick retreat on the illegal constituted electoral committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo which was set up on 6th Dec. 2020 at the Ime-Obi meeting held at Nike Resort Lake Enugu.
Speaking to press men at Enugu on Tuesday 15th Dec. 2020, Igboayaka noted that the only legacy left for Nnia Nwodo is to jettison his plan on the planned electoral fraud with Southeast governors, and endeavour to give Ndigbo a credible, free and fair election devoid of Southeast governors’ indirect manipulation of the electoral process.
Igboayaka applaud Nnia Nwodo for listening to voice of reason, Ndichie and Ndiokpu to cancel the ‘political party electoral body’ he constituted in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo electoral committee.
As regards to the next Ime-Obi meeting which Nnia Nwodo planned to hold on 20th Dec. 2020, Igboayaka noted that Nnia Nwodo was behaving like a ‘big fly that follows the corpse to the grave’, stressing that illegality cannot bring legality, and, therefore, urged him to use four days to make peace with Bar. Uche Okwukwu, the ousted secretary general who has the constitutional right to summon Ime-Obi meeting.
Comrade Igboayaka urged Nnia Nwodo to harken to the voice of the youths, reminding him that 2021 Ohanaeze Ndigbo election will not be as business as usual. He added that Igbo youths are ready to take back Ohanaeze to advance their political and economic survival in the political quagmire that was eating the fabrics of Nigeria.
The OYC National President further stated that with the forceful means, Nnia Nwodo employed to debar Bar. Uche Okwukwu from performing his constitional duties as the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, any Ime-Obi and general assembly meeting that fails to pass through Okwukwu remains illegal and unconstitutional.
He re-emphasized that in the eyes of the law, under the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Bar. Uche Okwukwu remains the Secretary General, therefore any electoral process and meeting without him is a stark aberration of the law.
OYC urged Nnia Nwodo and his National Executive Committee(NEC) members to shun ego and use subtleness and wisdom to amend and settle the face-off and differences between them and Bar. Okwukwu and allow him to perform his constitutional duties till 11th Jan. 2020.
OYC also urged Nwodo to study Article 10, Article 11 and Article 21 of the organization’s constitution and abide by it to enable him end gloriously as the President-General.
Igboayaka also advised the Southeast governors to harken to the advice of former Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Ben Nwabueze(SAN) who posited that election process and administration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo must be separated from governors and politicians in order to give best service to Ndigbo and to maintain the essence of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the founding fathers.
Igboayaka recalled that Ohanaeze Ndigbo was founded on the principle of ‘Igwe bu ike’, ‘Oha’ being the people and ‘Eze’ the leaders to checkmate Nigeria’s ruthless government which Ndigbo lost confidence and trust in after the war. Igboayaka maintained that it will be unreasonable, unthinkable and against prime aim of Ohanaeze Ndigbo if it is hijacked and controlled by Southeast governors who were merely installed by the help of the Northern political oligarchy.
We, therefore, cannot surrender or be cowed to relinquish Ohanaeze Ndigbo to the governors whose allegiances are not with Ndigbo but to the Northern and Western leaders.
Concluding, Igboayaka described the forthcoming 2021 election of Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a liberation time for Igbo youths from the shackles of political slavery, urging Igbo youths and Ndigbo in general to rise and take back Ohanaeze Ndigbo, or risk being in perpetual slavery
