2023: Ohanaeze sets up Political Action Committee

.Says President from South panacea to nation’s woes.

.Insists on political solution to Nnamdi Kanu’s case

By Cosmas Chukwu

The apex Igbonaka socio-cultural cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide rose from a marathon plenary National Executive Council Meeting in Enugu with resolutions on its position on the 2023 Nigerian presidency and the subsisting case of detained IPOB leader, Mazi  Nnamdi Kanu, among other issues.

The meeting that ran from forenoon to late evening on Wednesday was presided over by the Ohanaeze President General,  Ambassador George Obiozor and had in attendance delegates from many branches including the newly elected UK branch headed by a woman.

Ohanaeze averred that the Nigerian president of South Eastraction is an idea whose time has come and that which has the capability of repositiong the nation on the part of growth and development.

In the hands of the Ohanaeze leader,”It is said in the Bible Ecclesiastes 3,’ that to everything there is season and a time to every purpose under the heaven; A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted’’. The essence of the above quotation is to remind Nigerians and Nigeria that at the present age of our Country today (about 62 years), we need introspective and retrospective thinking in order to reassess our journey so far as a nation or as a country. In doing so includes serious re examination of our history as one nation. If the truth must be told, the nation has made two consistent mistakes  that have worsened the nation’s all other problems leading the nation to near breaking points.

Those two  devils in Nigerian politics are power sharing and social injustice. In all we drifted into these two problems with nonchalance or with ease, and sometimes oblivious of their consequences until what we think is a simple or easy problem develops into a national disaster or catastrophy.  For those who can remember, how did we get into the western region crisis in the 1960s? How did we get to the civil war (1967-1970). How did we get to NADECO (Abiola crisis) and even South-South Avengers?

Today, the situation of the country is not totally different but even more complicated. Today indeed, the way things are, with communication and  modern technology, our country is set not only at the usual breaking points which were more easily controlled and contained in the past to preserve nigerian unity, but a point of synchronized national crisis which will be more difficult to be controlled or contained today.

Nigeria was a country negotiated and amalgamated under some agreements that balanced sensitive issues of power-sharing and balancing of power regardless of any other conditions. It was a system where every person had an equal chance in life regardless of their tribe, race or religion.”

Obiozor delved back into history recalling that “In 1960 at independence, our Founding Fathers – Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe , Sir Ahmadu Belo, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, joyfully embraced both independence and all existing institutions establishing Nigerian unity. Those Founding Fathers later found out that our country Nigeria, had inherent measures of historic conflict of ideas and ideals. Consequently, all Nigerian leaders even today have utilized Nigeria’s ‘Doctrine of creative use of conflicts and crises’. This old doctrine can be used once more to save the country and control the present crisis. But today also and in terms of nationalism, only few countries in the world have fallen so fast as Nigeria in recent years, Nigerians must recognize that something went wrong.”

The renowned professor and former Nigeria ambassador to the US bemoaned the fact that “Nigerian nationalism is receding as ethno- regional nationalism is growing astronomically. It is time to rebuild and restore Nigerian nationalism and national spirit. As the national situation is today, it will require Pan Nigerians like Igbos to reinvigorate the nations path to unity. And a southeast Igbo president of Nigeria in 2023 will be one of the most critical but positive decision of the nations history because, it is the right decision and an idea whose time has come.

“For those in doubt, please be assured that he/she will focus on what can be done instead of arguing over what is impossible.”

Speaking the contentious issue of the continued incarceration the leader of Indigenous People Of Biafraland, IPOB,  Obiozor reiterated “On the issue of IPOB/ Nnamdi Kanu we have been consistent in asking for political solution to the problem including prerogative of Mercy for Nnamdi Kanus freedom and Amnesty.

“Once more may I repeat, Ndigbo are not secessionists or separatists, Igbos are prepared and deserve the Presidency. It is politically defensible and morally justifiable. To realise this the National Executive council  of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has established the Political Action Committee to be Chaired by the President General, Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, while the Secretary General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR will serve as the Secretary. Full composition will be done soon,”he declared.

Ohanaeze expressed disgust and condemned vehemently the reported conferment of Ozo title on UK based Igbonaka women by themselves.