Anxiety as delegates elect new Ohanaeze Ndigbo leader today

• Group endorses Okiro for president-general
• Chukwu urges FG to help restore security in South-East

No fewer than 300 delegates are expected to vote today, as the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, elects its new leadership for another four years.

The election, expected to be held at the old government lodge in Enugu, would likely see a Rivers State person emerge as the group’s president-general for the first time since the zoning arrangement was introduced among the seven Igbo-speaking states that make up Ohanaeze.

While Abia State would produce the Deputy President General, Anambra State would produce the Secretary-General, Ebonyi State would produce the National Legal Adviser, Enugu State would produce the National Treasurer, and Imo State would produce the National Publicity Secretary. Each state, except Rivers and Abia, would also produce a Vice President.

Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu, the last occupant of the President General seat, hails from Imo State. He succeeded the late Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and the late Prof. George Obiozor, all of whom were from Imo State but died in office.

But today’s election is already riddled with challenges as a faction of the group, a few days ago, announced Jackson Omenazu as the President General with 10 others as its national executive members.

MEANWHILE, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), yesterday, endorsed the aspiration of the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The group said that Okiro has what it takes to move the organisation to greater heights, stressing that he had excelled in previous assignments.

President General of the group, Goodluck Ibem, in a statement he endorsed with the woman leader, Mrs Evelyn Okere Onyung, said Okiro is eminently qualified for the office and should be elected.

HOWEVER, the incumbent President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Nze Ozichukwu Fidelis Chukwu, has reaffirmed his commitment to handing over the reins of power to an indigene of Rivers State today, Friday, January 10, 2025.

He reiterated the call on the Federal Government to put more effort into the resolution of the state of insecurity in the South East by assisting the states in reviving the industries thereby employing the teeming youth population.

He added that to restore peace and order, there is a need for a balance of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches. He appealed for special attention to the needs of the youths, assisting them to achieve their life dreams and goals.

He stated that though his tenure as a President General has been very brief, “what matters is the impact and legacy with which we will be remembered.”

He reiterated that the success or failure of any organisation is a function of its leadership recruitment process, stressing that this elicited the choice of the screening, appeal and electoral committees with people of integrity for the forthcoming Ohanaeze election.

He urged the people of Igbo extraction in Rivers State in particular and other Igbo states to ensure that only men and women of integrity and proven records of accomplishments are put forward to fill the offices zoned to the states by the rotation principles of organisation.