….As Govs Hijack Ohanaeze Elections
Ohanaeze Ndigbo have reacted to accusations from the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) that it collected billions of naira from Jonathan as conditions for pre-election endorsement, shared same at Chelsea Hotels and Ohanaeze Secretariat among themselves and gave them only N2 million naira. In their reaction, the parent body described the Isiguzoro led executive ‘as a bunch of corrupt individuals who have enriched themselves on the behalf of the Igbo nation’
Three members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Executive Committee (NEC) who spoke with the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress (IMC), Rev Obinna Akukwe, at the secretariat on Monday on conditions of anonymity, over why they introduced corruption to the youth body by showing bad example, released copies of the secret report of the investigations committee which indicted the youth wing of monumental corruption.
The infuriated NEC Members and Onanaeze Chieftains claimed that before they went to see Jonathan in January, 2015, the Ohanaeze Youth Council led by Isiguzoro had already gone to Aso Rock in December, 2014, where the First Lady. Patience Jonathan gave them $20,000 dollars.
According to one of NEC Members “ the sharing of the money caused serious fight in Agura Hotels, Garki, Abuja to the point that the hotel management had to invite soldiers from the nearby Army Headquarters who used horsewhip to separate them, these boys were wearing Igbo red caps while fighting and disgracing the entire Igbo race.” They also claimed that another quarrel ensued in Sokoto when Ohanaeze Youth Council visited the Sultan of Sokoto , Saad Abubakar last year over sharing formula.
Below are excerpts from the Ohanaeze Report on the Youth Council as obtained by Igbo Mandate Congress, IMC
” we discovered that the youth leader has uplifted the act of group begging with phantom projects as proposals to an inglorious business ventures. This is to the extent that they dangle 30 percent commission on the face of members as an incentive to scout for prominent persons to be approached among Ndigbo and Non=Ndigbo. By so doing they brought the dignity of the Igbo Nation to disdain, especially with the reported shameful conduct of fighting themselves publicly over sharing of funds and women at Abuja”
“The extent of this disgrace and damage brought upon Ohanaeze is such that prominent sons of Igbo land like Eze N’Ukpo Chief Engr Arthur Eze have temporarily shut the door against Ohanaeze “
The Panel Chaired by Nze Okpani Nkama, Prof Philip Atanmo, Chief Ene Ebe,Mr Pius Nnankwo and Chief Mrs Azubuike recommended many measures and sanctions , two of which include
“For this and others we recommend that the National Youth Leader , Mr Okechukwu Isiguzoro be made to render proper and detailed account of how the N5 million naira they collected from Arthur Eze, being the only money actually banked, was used”
“For many people, Ohanaeze has become a barrack whereby all manners of men of Igbo extraction walk into for protection and possibly economic survival with high hopes and end up walking out most frustrated and unfulfilled. This is essentially why the leadership of Ohanaeze had at various times remained handicapped to pursue needed programmes for the ordinary people. Everything is with caution to avoid offending the political leaders whose support is the livewire of the people.”
The rattled members of the Ohanaeze Executives told Rev Akukwe and other leaders of Igbo Mandate Congress that they will make the entire report a public document if the youth leaders ever insinuate and attribute forms of corruption to them.
Meanwhile, reports have it that the Governors have hijacked the Ohanaeze Local Govt Congress being held on the 6th of January, 2016, and are forcing aspirants to either step down for some others or be screened out. Some aspirants who spoke to the leadership of Igbo Mandate Congress have expressed displeasure at the development and promised to fight back.
Igbo Mandate Congress have earlier called for a level playing field for all candidates and have accused Ohanaeze in a press release of conducting a fraudulent election, an accusation they have privately denied. The General Assembly of all Igbo Christian Organization and Ministers (GAAICOM) had earlier written all State Governors condemning their interferences in the elections and calling for polls extension.
