Ahead of the forthcoming national elections of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, frontline Igbo think tank, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), has warned against the imposition of former Inspector General of Police, Mike Mbama Okiro as the President General of the organisation.

The Foundation also made a fresh appeal for the unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from prolonged detention.

These were contained in a press release made available to DAILY POST on Saturday by the National President of ADF and former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, which was circulated to journalists electronically on Friday.

The press release titled, “ADF position on Ohanaeze Presidency and other National Matters,” recalled that Imo State has been on the saddle as the PG, but unfortunately, two of its sons who served within the period, Ambassador George Obiozor and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, died in active service, prompting the election of Nze Ozichukwu to complete the tenure of Imo State, which ends on January 10, 2025.

“Accordingly, the Ohaneze Constitution prescribes that the PG position should rotate among the Igbo speaking states in Nigeria, and given that the five South East States, namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo had taken their turns, so also Delta State in the South South, the natural course of action for all is to support Rivers State to produce the next PG,” the group said.

The ADF unequivocally supported Ndi Igbo in Rivers State to produce the next President General (PG) of the organisation.

“ADF sees this as the only noble action that will further cement the relationship of Ndi Igbo beyond the South East. It is trite that the genocide against Ndi Igbo between 1967 and 1970 and the subsequent anti-Igbo stance of the post genocide era made most of Ndi Igbo across some Igbo speaking areas outside the South East, to deny their Igbo origin.

“To us, this was both dastardly on the part of the Federal Government of Nigeria that created the fertile conditions for such to happen, and survivalist, on the part of those denying their identity in order to survive.

“However, this is not unprecedented. The Jews had even worse experience in this direction, where some of their own, not only denied their identity, but hounded fellow Jews to the advantage of their traducers.

“So, it is understandable when you see an Emeka or Nwike denying their identity, in order to get personal gains. But the question is, has any person fared better in the long run? In other words, if one sells one siblings, the buyer will never trust the seller,” ADF noted.

It pleaded with other Igbos who were angry with Rivers people for what they termed “the betrayal of their brothers,” to sheathe their swords, and see such errant brothers as people worthy of mercy, regardless that some chose to die rather than deny their origin.

Nonetheless, it warned against any manipulation to enthrone a former Inspector General of Police, Mike Mbama Okiro as the PG, contrary to due process, as it could deepen the perception of Ohaneze Ndigbo as a pawn in the hands of very few politicians.

The ADF maintained that due process must be followed to ensure that Ndi Igbo worldwide bought into the emerging leadership, just as it opposed the perspective that Chief Okiro who joined the police as a Rivers State man when his brother was Eze in Imo State, may be very serious with Igbo affairs.

Continuing: “ADF admonishes Rivers State Ohaneze Ndigbo to make sure that due process is followed by complying with the Ohaneze Constitution, which stipulates that they shortlist three candidates to be voted for, and publish same before the election.

“Ohaneze Rivers State should ensure that they put their house in order to claim what is rightfully theirs. We challenge all good spirited Ndi Igbo in Rivers State, such as Ndi Eze, Politicians and technocrats, among others, to stand up to be counted in this period that the position of PG is deemed to be theirs.

“This, they must do by ensuring that they present and support candidates who are not ashamed of their Igboness and are administratively exposed to take Ohaneze to international heights.

“We, however, warn that if Igbo people in Rivers State by any act of commission or omission, allow apparent chameleonic characters who are from Rivers State in the day, and from other States in the night, to be manipulatively imposed on them, they should not blame other Igbo people.”

Regarding the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, ADF described as both condemnable and unacceptable a situation where people who committed heinous crimes were set free while a freedom fighter was kept inside the dungeon in perpetuity.

It viewed as discriminatory, the recent order by the House of Representatives for the release of the detained leader of the dreaded Miyetti Allah cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), whereas the IPOB leader remains in detention.

According to ADF, Ndi Igbo view the situation where there are different rules for different ethnic groups in the country as unacceptable.

It condemned the arrest, arraignment and detention of human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, warning that the situation that the security agencies and judicial officers make themselves available to be used by powerful persons to settle scores with their enemies, is inimical to our democracy.

Noting that democracy is ideally epitomised by the strict adherence to the Rule of Law, ADF regretted that the judiciary in recent times has been drifting away from its avowed role as the last hope of the common man.

The Foundation admonished the judiciary to enthrone its time-tested value of delivering justice impartially, no matter whose ox is gored, stressing that even if Dele Farotimi transgressed the law, due process should be followed to make him answerable for the alleged offence he committed.

According to the group, a situation where some Nigerians felt that Farotimi is being hounded because he made himself a true conscience of the opposition, is highly condemnable and should never be allowed.

The group commended the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) ethics and privileges committee for insisting on due process of the law when it was asked to debar the embattled lawyer.

It asked the current government of President Bola Tinubu not to make the public to believe that it has become fascist in nature.

“The government should ensure that the unwarranted pains that Nigerians are undergoing should be stopped forthwith. The situation where Nigerians will go to draw their monies from the bank but return with only N5, 000 is reminiscent of the post genocide 20 pounds situation against Ndi Igbo. Governments are supposed to reduce pains and not to increase the pains on its citizenry.

“Our hearts go to Nigerians who lost their lives while trying to get Christmas largesse from good spirited Nigerians/organisations.

“It should be stated clearly without equivocation that these tragedies would not have occurred without the level of hunger inflicted on Nigerians by this government.

“The government should desist from shedding crocodile tears and do something reasonable and meaningful to ameliorate the hunger in the land,” ADF added.

Ohanaeze Election: ADF warns against imposition of former Police IG, Mike Okiro as President General