A socio-cultural group in Rivers State, ‘Ogbako Egbema Alinso,’ has made a case for a former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, to succeed Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu, as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Chukwu was appointed to complete the tenure of Imo State after the demise of prominent politician and businessman, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, with the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, subsequently disclosing the zoning of the exalted position to Rivers State.

The election for the next President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is billed to be held between January 10 and 11, 2025.

While there has been support for the former IGP Okiro, to take on the mantle of leadership of the body, there have also been questions surrounding his ethnic qualifications for the role.

National President-General of Ogbako Egbema Alinso, Francis Igwebuike Ifi, at a press briefing in Egbema in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Monday, maintained that Okiro is a bonafide Rivers indigene and enjoys the support of the Egbema people.

Igwebuike Ifi stated, “The insinuation that he’s not from Rivers State is what is doubtful in the minds of people, but today, let it be clear to all and sundry that Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, is an Egbema man from Rivers State.

“This is a social-cultural organization, because of the political divide, we’ve come together to say Egbema is one and we are not bending to any political delineation.

“So, if he aspires to vie for any position in the country, Egbema has asked him today to go ahead. He is qualified for it, he is a Rivers man, let him go ahead and vie for it as a Rivers man.”

Ifi further said, “Let the people who are making such insinuations (that Okiro) is not from Rivers State), let the people who want to denigrate him, please tow another line.

“When a man is qualified to get one thing, give it to him, don’t look at where he’s from. We assure the country that Sir Okiro is a born Egbema man from Rivers State.”

Earlier in his remarks, a monarch and Nzeobi of Egbema, Rivers State, His Royal Majesty, Eze Everistus Amuda, re-echoed Ifi’s stance, saying, “Dr. Okiro is my a member of my palace. He hails from Nzeobi, he never aspired for any position before he was enrolled in Nzeobi of Egbema and all the enrollment is his first involvement in Egbema.

“He hails from Ogba/Egbema Local Government Area. He is qualified to contest for the position.”

Meanwhile, the group has called for an end to what it described as incessant extra-judicial killings along the boundary between Egbema in Imo State and Egbema in Rivers State.

Expressing displeasure at the situation, the President-General of the body said, “The very incessant extra judicial killings at the boundary between Egbema Imo and Egbema Rivers is uncalled for. Who are the persons killing these people along Egbema? Just before the TCC or after the TCC, recently a woman, a pregnant young lady, was shot to death.

“With expertise and the position of our national leader, the Ogbako Egbema has condemned such extrajudicial killings in its entirety and we don’t want it to continue unless they don’t want the existence of Egbema people here.

“Whosoever is involved in such extra-judicial killings should stop, before they kill all of us. The killing has become too much. The Egbema people are tired of the extra-judicial killings along that place.”