The president of Ohanaeze Nd’Igbo, Abuja, Elder Barr. Onwu O. Arua has described the purported election of a faction of the Igbo group in the federal Capital Territory during last weekend, as a sham and dubious act led by the desperation one Mr. Nwodozi who had been running illegal, rebellious and discredited group not known to the national body of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
In press statement on Sunday, which was sent to some media houses, Elder Onwu Arua said that the purported election which was held at Kurudu village, a suburb of the capital territory on Friday 3rd September 2021 by a “ group of discredited and disgruntled elements of Igbo extraction led by one Odozi Elijah Nwodozi, (formerly known as Edozie Iyinbor), who was suspended by President of Ohanaeze Nd’Igbo since 2018, was done out of desperation of Mr Nwodozi, “who had been running illegal, rebellious and discredited group of like bedfellow in the name of Ohanaeze Abuja, for the past Six (6) years”, which had led him to embark on “this suicidal mission of hand picking elements who do not know anything about running of Ohanaeze and pronounced them elected executives.
Barr. Arua regretted that “ It is most unfortunate that some Nd’Igbo cannot, with our most flaunted tact and wisdom (AKO NA UCHE), will allow themselves to be used as tools to destabilize the unity of Nd’Igbo for obvious pecuniary and ephemeral benefits.”
He pointed an accusing finger to one Barr Ifeanyichukwu Nweze, his town’s man, whom he said made himself a willing tool to be used in conducting the so called election at Kurudu, noting that “It is very obvious the men behind the Mask. Ambition knows no logic. Their machinations must surely backfire.”
The Ohanaeze President elaborated on the ruling of Justice O. C. Agbaza of FCT High Court 7, whom he noted “ never made orders disturbing the status of my elected executives, nor did he order the holding of elections of any type.
Adding that “it was embarrassing that some people went to town claiming deceitfully that the Judge ordered a group to conduct elections within 21 days from date of delivery of the judgment. This they mischievously embarked on the 11th of August 2021 to execute and were stopped by the Nigerian Police for “CONDUCT LIKELY TO CAUSE BREACH OF PEACE IN OHANAEZE ND’IGBO, FCT CHAPTER”.
Barr Arua through the press statement reiterated that the court never annulled the election of “ Elder (Barr.) Onwu O. Arua led Ohanaeze Nd’Igbo Federal Capital Territory, Abuja nor ordered the holding of any elections.”
He noted that “the same bunch of persons embarked on another aborted attempt to hold elections on the 14th of August 2021 and were dispersed by the Law Enforcement Agents. On Friday 3rd September 2021, frustrations led them to sneak into the remote village of Kurudu, photo-shopped and deceitfully claimed to have held elections.”
Barr. Arua reassured Nd’Igbo in Abuja and beyond that “our administration respects constituted authorities and will not tolerate lawlessness of any kind. We will not permit our administration to be subverted by a disgruntled, ambitious, or radical minority. We want to maintain that time honoured democratic principle of duly elected executives by Nd’Igbo serving out their offices without violent interference by those who disagree or are impervious to peaceful change.
Disagreement and dissent are, of course, in the great tradition of a democracy world over; but a subterranean and clandestine attempt to take over power from a democratically elected Executives, is repugnant to me, as it is to every civilized mind.
“I cannot betray that great trust Nd’Igbo from all walks of life reposed in our executives by shirking our responsibilities of standing up against enemies of Igbo Unity. Will I get up and say to Chief (Barr.) Nnia Nwodo who broke all records to come to Abuja and inaugurate our committee on the 15th of December 2020; that I am packing up and quitting because the going is a little rough? That is exactly what they are doing, and that is precisely why I will not allow it to happen. The illegal sham cannot be allowed to stand.”
