How South-East Governors hijacked Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elections – Group

A group known as the Igbo Mandate Congress has claimed that the recently concluded Ohanaeze Ndigbo Election exercise was hijacked by South-East Governors.

The group, in a statement sent to POLITICS NIGERIA on Friday, signed by its Director-General, Rev. Obinna Akukwe, dsclosed that the governors conspired to keep the venue of the election secret adding that they had warned prior that the Governors were planning to install a Senator from Rivers State.

It can be recalled that Senator Azuta Mbata emerged as the New President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo earlier today.

The statement read in Part; “The venue of the election was kept top secret till Friday morning when delegates were informed that it would hold at Old Governors Lodge, Enugu. At the old governor’s lodge, team of police and DSS officials were given lists of delegates for the polls and given orders not to allow anyone inside the venue. The lists were as compiled and approved by the respective governors.”

“From Abia to Anambra, Enugu, Imo, the governors asked their cronies to select loyal persons to represent the state at the elections. The delegates list was kept secret till Friday morning, to void other candidates, include former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, from gaining access to them.”

“The delegates elected by the governors and their cronies were told to assemble at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Headquarters to collect both their accreditation tags and their payment money for loyalty.”

“Some delegates told IMC officials that they were paid a couple of millions, while others were paid hundreds of thousands of naira, according to levels and status. The loyalty payments were given through electronic transfers at the Ohanaeze Secretariate, while some received theirs at the Old Governors lodge.”

“Igbo Mandate Congress, a body first with credible Intelligence Information in the South East and Nigeria, have alerted the contestants, including activists, since Monday January 6th that the governors are planning to ambush former IGP Mike Okiro with a Senator from Rivers State. IMC also implored the activists to act together, raise necessary alarm, make strategic moves to verify the authenticity of the governors list and secure their positions at the Ohanaeze National Executive Council.”

“The aspirants, exhuming empty over confidence, were baited, with divided ranks, and outflanked before the polls. The Governors made frantic efforts to force Mike Okiro to step down for Senator Mbata and he initially refused. After granting a press conference announcing a withdrawal until he gets legal redress, Okiro appeared at the Ohanaeze Secretariat , got screened by 10 pm and asked his supporters to await a court judgment tomorrow that will enable him to contest.”

“By 12 pm when the delegates started going to the Old Governors Lodge, Okiro’s legal redress was yet to come. Igbo Mandate Congress condemned the first time governors imposed Chief Nnia Nwodo and other officers. It condemned the manner Governor Uzodimma imposed Professor George Obozor and it is now condemning the hijacking of delegates list and the fraudulent manner of the current polls.”

“Igbo Mandate Congress enjoins all Igbo Styakeholders to task the governors until they remove their hands from Ohanaeze affairs.”