Nigeria elections: We would have committed political suicide – Igbo groups

Five Igbo groups, weekend, hailed the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Barr. Uche Okwukwu for leading support for President Muhammadu Buhari during the last presidential election.

The groups spoke during a courtesy visit to Okwukwu, where they said it would have amounted to political suicide if Ndigbo had put all their eggs in one basket.

On the visit were Igbo Unity Union, Nsukka Diaspora Forum U.K, Igbo Bu Igbo Association, France Chapter, Congress of Ebonyi State Women and Igbo National Youths.

The groups led by Barr. Odum Nwachukwu, expressed their happiness with the vision of Barr Okwukwu, which he said made Ndigbo not to put their eggs in one basket in the last 2019 election.

The groups noted that “Igbos would have committed a political suicide had Ohanaeze Secretary-General not taken a more informed position which nobody can fault and which would make Igbos to have a stake in the Buhari government.”

Also speaking, they demanded a thorough investigation of the role played by the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo during the presidential election, claiming that his endorsement and support for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was selfish questionable.

“We must say that his lack of vision and selfish agenda nearly ruined Ndigbo in the last election.

“Nwodo wanted his brother Okwesilieze Nwodo to be the Secretary to the Federal Government under Atiku. He also wanted his cronies to be part of the government under Atku.

“That was why he messed up Ndigbo. So, we are asking him to come clean on the billions of naira he was alleged to have received from the PDP during that election.

“We shall not hesitate to drag him to the EFCC and the ICPC if he fails to do so.

“We want to restate our vote of confidence on the Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Barr. Uche Okwukwu,” they said.

In his reply, Okwukwu thanked the groups for their patriotism and confidence on him and assured them that he would not recoil in protecting Igbo interest at all times.

In a related development, Okwukwu has also released what he called a report of the Disciplinary Committee set up by Ohanaeze Ndigbo to look into various accusations against Chief Nnia Nwodo.

The committee announced weeks ago was headed by Prince Richard Ozobu.

He said they recommended as follows:

“immediate expulsion of Barr Nnia Nwodo from all Ohanaeze activities for betraying Ndigbo, and the Constitutional breaches of summoning illegal meeting, which is the Constitutional right of Secretary General.

“immediate expulsion of the National PRO of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Barr Achi Okpaga for aiding and abetting the nefarious activities of Nwodo and embarrassing Ndigbo through his immature write ups.

“Caution to the remaining members of the Ohanaeze NEC to be of good behaviour or face disciplinary action for their unbecoming acts.

“Recovery of all illegal monies collected on behalf of the group, especially from the PDP.”

“Nwodo should stop parading himself as Ohanaeze President General either within Igbo land or outside Igbo land in his own interest.

“These recommendations await official ratification by the General Assembly,” he added.