INC denies being part of Igbo territory
THE Ijaw National Congress (INC) has cautioned the Ohaneze Ndigbo to steer clear from any actions that may affect peaceful coexistence among all.
The INC National Publicity Secretary, Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, has, therefore, declared that the Ijaws believe in one Nigeria but stated that if the need arises, the Ijaws will not cede to any ethnic group whether the Ohaneze Ndigbo or the Afenifere but will remain on their own.
The INC spokesman further warned the Igbo apex socio-cultural group not to include Ijaw ancestral lands in its Igbo territory.
He explained that the claim that the entire Rivers State is part and parcel of Igbo land, which makes the state one of the statutory member states of Ohaneze Ndigbo, was a false claim.
The INC spokesman noted that the Ijaws remain a majority ethnic group in Rivers State with 10 local council areas.
Recall that the Rivers State chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo, known as (Ogbakor Ndi Igbo Na Rivers), during a meeting in Port Harcourt at the weekend, demanded that the next president of the apex Igbo group should come from the state, saying: “It is our turn.”
The call for Rivers State to produce the next President-General follows the demise of Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, the 11th President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The group explained that the rotation aligns with Article 11 of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution, ensuring the office of the President-General is shared among seven member states.
The request was contained in a communiqué signed by Livingstone Wechie, Convener of (Ogbakor Ndi-Igbo na Rivers) also known as Rivers State Igbo stakeholders.
Reacting to the development, the INC spokesman said: “While we respect individual rights of freedom of association, the Ijaws, who constitute one of the major ethnic groups in Rivers State, cannot be part of and be represented in Ohaneze Ndigbo.”
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