OHANAEZE CRISIS GETS MESSIER AS OBIOZOR ORDERS DETENTION OF OHANAEZE NDIGBO CHIEFTAINS IN ABUJA FOR CONDUCTING ELECTIONS
Abuja: Prof George Obiozor, a factional President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has ordered for the detention of some Chieftains of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the Federal Capital Territory over the desire of the FCT chapter of the Apex organization to hold their elections in line with a court ruling to that effect.
It should be recalled that the immediate past administration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo under the leadership of Chief John Nnia Nwodo conducted elections into the Executive Committee of the Abuja chapter of the body, in violation of the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and a court injunction restraining him or his proxies from doing same. This issue has been in court since August 2020, till judgement was delivered on the matter some weeks ago.
In the judgement, Hon. Justice C.O. Agbaza posited that the constitution of a caretaker committee by Nwodo was at variance with the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and as such, the committee was illegal and all actions taken by it or their proxies was null and void and of no effect.
The judgement also upheld the Ohanaeze Ndigbo FCT Chapter Byelaws ( as Amended 2019) as the guiding principles of the body in the FCT.
Armed with the new Byelaws, the Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo under Mazi Odozi Nwodozi called for an election on Wednesday 11th August,2021. An act which sparked off hysteria amongst Igbo egg heads in the federal capital, resulting to Amb. Obiozor calling the police high command to stop the elections. To the consternation of delegates and observers to the election on Wednesday, the police invaded the Cyprain Ekwensi Cultural Centre, Area 10, venue of the elections in a gestapo style on the premise that they weren’t informed of the election.
However, the Ohanaeze President of the FCT Nwodozi produced an acknowledged copy of the letter earlier sent to the police.
Despite that, the large contingent of Police would have none of it since there instruction was clearly to stop the election even if it meant going contrary to the judgment of a court of law.
This prompted the sending of a delegation to the commissioner of Police, FCT command where it was confirmed that their action was prompted by a personal call from Obiozor.
From our investigation, the election was called off for that day in the interest of peace.
On Thursday 12th August, another letter was sent to the CP in which the powers and limitations of the President-General was clearly stated with copies of the CONSTITUTION of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
At about 6pm the same day (Thursday), calls came that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo should come to the CP’s office to defend their letter.
However, on getting there, they were detained on the orders of Amb. George Obiozor. Those detained include; Chief Patrick Udeh, Dr. Raymond Ugwagbo and Igwe Charles Ogbuke.
Currently, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is factionalized as a fallout of the controversial January, 2021 election of the Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization.
There are at least 6 pending court cases between both Ohanaeze factions.
As part of their mediation, the College of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops had asked both the Prof George Obiozor faction and the Chief Engr Chidi Ibeh, MFR faction to withdraw all pending court cases before August 31st, 2021 and to put on hold any election (Youth /women) to facilitate their peace making efforts.
Unfortunately, the Obiozor faction called the bluff of the Bishops by going on to hold a Youth Wing election last week despite a court injunction obtained by the immediate past President of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Chief Arthur Obiora.
