The attention of the Ndiezes Igbo and the Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA) has been drawn to the statement credited to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige (Onwa) that the Ndiezes in the 19 States of the North and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as the Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA) have endorsed him for 2023 Presidency, at a recent event held at Abuja.
The report made roads in some select newspapers and media platforms Sunday, April 10, 2022, insinuating that the Ndiezes and IDA support his presidential bid. The Ndiezes from the 19 Northern States and the FCT, as well as the IDA want to make a categorical statement that Dr Chris Ngige was never endorsed on any ground whatsoever, as other party chieftains and aspirants like Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze, also graced the occasion for perceived conversation by the elders, knowing full well that these elders are grounded and have the ears of their people. They graced the occasion to felicitate and rejoice with the Igbo leaders from the 19 States, the FCT and the Diaspora.
Rather, Dr Chris Ngige came to the venue to hold a conversation (and not a specific declaration which was explicitly stated by Ezeudo 1 of Abuja, Dr Uche Egenti in his interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) at the venue). Dr Ngige was given this privilege to interact with the Ndiezes, as a well-respected son of the South-East, a former Govenror of Anambra State and current Minister of Labour and Employment. The Ndiezes said they were ready and prepared to co-operate with him as a Minister of the Federal Republic to bring sustainable development to the region and clamour for the South-East Igbo leader for presidency.
The Minister, on his part, said at the event that he was there to share his ideas with them on how to make Nigeria work, and in reciprocity, the Ndiezes said he (Ngige) should remember his people in any endeavour he so desires.
The Ndiezes hereby dissociate themselves from the purported statement credited to Dr Chris Ngige that he was unanimously endorsed by a resolution from the association, which was not so as reported in some select media organs. The President-General of IDA, Chief Chi Nwogu, was also misquoted in the said newspaper reports as he was misrepresented from his speech.
Speaking further at the occasion, Ezeudo 1 of Abuja, Dr Uche Egenti, described the Labour Minister as courageous, but added that the Minister was one of the best sons to come out from the region and as long as he was at the event to share ideas and has not declared for President yet, he should always remember to carry his people along, because “charity begins at home.”
In a press release by the President of Ndieze in the Diaspora, Eze Boniface Ibekwe, the Ndiezes of the 19 Northern States, the FCT and Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA) are calling on all Nigerians, sons and daughters of the South-East extraction to disregard and discountenance the statement by Dr Chris Ngige as he has not even declared for President, then how can he be endorsed for President by the association? They therefore called for caution to say though Ngige is the son of the South-East and can aspire to any office of his choice, however, at this occasion of exchange of ideas, the association has not made their choice known or endorsed any aspirant for the position of President and therefore calls on the media to always get their facts right before publishing, as the association is focused on the economic and political emancipation of its people in Nigeria and the Diaspora.
The association reiterated that it will make its choice or endorsement of any credible aspirant known at the appropriate time. Meanwhile, the association vehemently maintains that at no point was Dr Chris Ngige endorsed by the Ndiezes or the IDA. A copy of the communique is emphatic and already in the press.
