New Telegraph

IWA rejects parallel Ohanaeze Ndigbo elections’ outcomes

…Calls for Caretaker Committee

 

The umbrella organisation of Ndigbo worldwide, the Igbo World Assembly (IWA), after painstakingly reviewing  and assessing the pre-election issues and the electoral irregularities has rejected  the just concluded parallel Ohanaeze Ndigbo elections outcomes.
This is even as the group has called for a caretaker committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo  for about three months to  ensure unity of Ndigbo and also to  conduct credible, free and fair  election that will follow due process.
The global Igbo body also  expressed disappointment by the failure Ohanaeze  to conduct elections that promoted Igbo unity, progress and development.
IWA after a worldwide meeting held recently in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Christian Onuorah, Vice Chairman  and Oliver Nwankwor, Secretary General, said that it has  critically reviewed, assessed and analysed the issues and circumstances that led to the elections of disunity in Ohanaeze Ndigbo in particular and Igbo nation in general.
“It is our solemn duty to Ndiigbo to communicate and share our findings which serve as the basis of our decision and which will guide our future actions,” it noted.
Speaking on the elections irregularities, IWA noted without mincing words that Prince Okwukwu’s faction of Ohanaeze election was held in secrecy without any transparency.
Similarly, speaking on Chief Nnia Nwodo’s faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s election, IWA said  lthat Option 4 method was used during the election but noted that  the process that led to Option 4 was undermined and completely manipulated.
In accordance with the Constitution, election guidelines, according to IWA  were not issued to all the contestants at least seven days before the election day resulting to several credible candidates withdrawing from the elections to avoid giving legitimacy to a flawed election.
“The Congress of President Generals of the Igbo Town Unions were not allowed to elect their representatives into the State General Assembly who in turn elects the delegates to both the National General Assembly and the State Assembly.
“Thus, all the three levels of the General Assembly were not properly constituted but replaced by practicing/partisan politicians hence the Ohanaeze electoral process of the January 10, 2021 was flawed.
“The international standing. Integrity and reputation of Ndiigbo which is anchored on equity and fairness  is damaged.”
According to the statement, the group stated that they will neither recognise nor associate with any of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo parallel executives produced by flawed and unconstitutional elections.
While appealing  to all patriotic Igbo organisations and individuals to put Igbo interest first for now and for posterity, IWA who has been in the vanguard for a better Igbo extraction noted that there were a lot of irregularities in the elections.
According to the group, the  differences between the immediate past President General Chief Nnia Nwodo and the immediate past Secretary Prince Uche Okwukwu were not settled by Ime Obi Ohanaeze. That was a missed opportunity that should not be repeated in the future, IWA noted without mincing words.

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