By Francesca Hangeior
A coalition of pro -Biafra organizations including the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB); Eastern People’s Congress (EPC); Billie Human Rights Initiative (BHRI); Biafra Liberation Council (BLC), among others, have sternly warned against any attempt to truncate the rotation of the office of the President of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Other members of the coalition are the Biafra Revolutionary Force (BRF); Biafra Revolutionary Organization (BRO); Biafra Reconciliation (BR); and Union of Biafra Scientists and Engineers (UBSE).
A new leadership of Ohanaeze is expected to assume office on January 10, 2024 when the tenure of the late Professor George Obiozor-led leadership will be elapsing.
Unfortunately, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who was elected to complete the turn of Imo State in the Ohanaeze presidency following the demise of Obiozor, also died in office, thus leaving the Secretary, Ambassador Okey Emuchay from Abia State to oversee the affairs of the apex Igbo body.
The coalition in a press statement issued on Tuesday, vowed to stoutly resist any attempt to thwart Ohanaeze constitution or deny Rivers State its right to produce the next President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the forthcoming Ohanaeze election.
The statement was jointly signed by Comrade Uchenna Madu of MASSOB; Mazi Okechukwu Orji for EPC; Innocent Amadi for BHRI; Comrade Festus Obiorah for BLC; Comrade Bidwell Ogbonna for BRF; Rev. Chioma Ajah for BRO; Elder Anya Kalu for BR; and Okasi for UBSE.
” We condemn the clandestine plot to thwart and frustrate the established norms and smooth running of Ohaneze Ndigbo affairs as enshrined in Ohaneze Ndigbo constitution by our founding fathers”, the statement read.
It further read:”With our unwavering and unshakable loyalty and alliance to the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, we can never allow any personal or group interest to undermine or thwart the very foundation of trust, confidence and brotherhood that bind Ndigbo irrespective of their states of origin. Even external influences will never break our solid foundation of mutual trust.”
The coalition warned that “any clandestine attempt to thwart the solemnity of Ohaneze Ndigbo constitution will be resisted with every means of legally resistance.”
The statement further read:”Pro Biafra agitators will never allow both internal and external enemies of Igbo land to destabilize and divide Ndigbo against ourselves.
“Section a and b of the mode of election in article eleven of Ohaneze Ndigbo constitution states thus:
(a) That the Office of the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo shall rotate among the Igbo speaking states and Igbo speaking areas of Delta (Anioma) and Rivers States in alphabetical order thus namely Abia, Anambra, Delta (Anioma), Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers States.
“(b) The President General shall be elected by the National General Assembly from all interested candidates from the state whose turn is to fill the office provided there are at least three candidates.The tenure of the office of President General shall be one term of four years.”
According to the statement, “the current leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo from Imo State will end on January 10th 2025, and the next turn is Rivers State.”
“Any attempt to thwart the turn of Rivers State or restart from Abia State will spell doom on entire Ohaneze Ndigbo leadership”, the statement warned.