Stay off Ohanaeze Ndigbo election, IPOB warns Okiro

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, to stay off the Ohanaeze Ndigbo presidential election, stressing that electing him as the leadership of the organisation would disrupt its zoning arrangement.

IPOB stated that the next president of the organisation is expected to emerge from Rivers State, alleging that Okiro is from Imo state and had contested the last Ohanaeze Ndigbo election against late Prof George Obiozor when it was the turn of Imo state.

IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, in a statement, alleged that those behind the Okiro ambition are doing so to tarnish his integrity and further decimate Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

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“It is obvious that some influential individuals in Imo State government is behind this move to rubbish the integrity of Mike Okiro and decimate Ohanaeze Ndigbo the way they have sought to destroy Imo State,” Powerful said.

“This faceless group is speaking for the enemies of Ndigbo, whose interest is to disorganise Alaigbo. These people cannot truncate the legitimate turn of Rivers State to produce the next Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General.

“At a time when well-meaning organisations are actively campaigning for the unification of all territories of ancient Igboland from Igbanke to Isobo, others are hell-bent on reinforcing the stereo-typical narrative of our enemies that Igboland is irretrievably balkanised and can never be united under a common political purpose.

“It is imperative that we warn those peddling the falsehood and endorsing Mike Okiro to contest for the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to desist from disrupting the zoning structure of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

“The retired IG of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro should not allow himself to be used to destroy the cohesion of the Igbo race. The contest for the President General slot is reserved for the Igbos in River State. Mr. Okiro is from Imo State. He contested against the late Prof. Gorge Obiozor, during the turn of Imo State to produce the President General and lost.

“Anybody or group trying to drag Mike Okiro into contesting against Rivers State Igbos is trying to ferment trouble and IPOB will give that person or group back the problem they clamouring for.
“The time has gone when IPOB allowed politicians to manipulate Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership outcomes.

This time Igbo governors and politicians must allow Ohanaeze Ndigbo to operate as a respected socio-cultural organisation, not as the errand boys and political wing of the South East Governors Forum.”
IPOB warned that any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the forthcoming election to exclude or deny Igbos in Rivers State their rightful opportunity would be resisted and that those culpable would be held accountable by the people.

“The era of allowing Ohanaeze Ndigbo to drift and serve as a willing tool for the enemies of Ndigbo to control our political destiny has come to an end,” the IPOB spokesman said.