Ohanaeze Ndigbo has disowned Mr Festus Odimegwu over his
resignation as Chairman of National Population Commission. In a brief with
concerned Igbo Clerics led by Rev Obinna Akukwe who sought clarifications over
issues affecting Ndigbo, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
Dr Joe Nwaorgu said that Mr Festus Odimegwu did not consult with Ohanaeze
Ndigbo before his resignation.
According to the Ohanaeze scribe,” when he (Odimegwu) started
receiving pressures from some quarters, we put up a paid advert stating our
position on issues of NPC politics and Enugu Disco sale controversy. Later on
Mr Odimegwu sent me a text that’ there is no cause for alarm’ and Ohanaeze
never heard from him again till we read about his resignation on the pages of
newspaper”.
Dr Nwaorgu fumed that if Ohanaeze was contacted when Odimegwu
was under pressure, the body would have stepped into the situation with the
view to salvaging the situation.
Reacting to the issue, the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ad Hoc Committee
on National Conference, Prof Ukwu I Ukwu, described Mr Odimegwu’s resignation
as unfortunate. According to Prof Ukwu “Mr Odimegwu is a friend and a thorough
bred gentleman, any pressure that led to his resignation must be addressed by
Ohahaeze Ndigbo”. Commenting on Igbo position on the proposed National
Conference, Prof Ukwu said that Igbos are not interested in dominating anybody,
rather they want the practice of true federalism so that the Igbo sons and
daughters would exist and survive in any part of the country they chose to live
in. He decried the dearth of good governance in the South East and asked the
Governors to improve on the welfare of the people so that Igbos will be glad to
invest at home.
According to Prof Ukwu, “What Nigeria needs is good governance,
whether Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba. There are good and bad leaders all over Nigeria.
During the Shagari regime, Governor Abubakar Rimi in Kano State shot
primary school enrollment from 203,000 in 1979 to 2.3 million by 1983 while in
Anambra State under Governor Jim Nwobodo, primary school enrollment fell from
2.7 million to 2.3 million within the same period, therefore, good governance is
not limited to tribe, religion or region”
The Assistant Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Barrister
Emejulu Okpalaukwu asked the Federal Government to ensure that an Igbo man
replaces Odimegwu and also ensure a credible census where all factors of national
interest is included.
In a similar development, Igbo clerics have condemned the
tendencies to blackmail of Igbo public officers out of office. Briefing some
pastors, bishops and church leaders yesterday at Enugu over undue pressures on
Igbo public servants to resign on issues bordering on tribalism, Rev Obinna
Akukwe condemned unnecessary hounding of Igbo public servants out of office by
pressures from the North. According to Rev Akukwe ” Mrs Rose Uzomah
was hounded out of Immigration by one Minister from the North, Odimegwu was
chased away by pressures from Northern Governors led by Kwaakwanso, their next
target would be the current Army Chief, Ihejirika, all aimed at maintaining the
lopsided mess in the system”.
He asked Ohanaeze to be pro-active when Igbo public officers are
under undue pressures and added that Igbo clerics should not defend Igbo public
servants who loot the treasury in order not to show bad example but those with
genuine cases will be attended to.
In his address, Apostle Dr PCJ Macjossy warned those toying with
the destiny of Ndigbo to prepare for trouble as the clerics will not allow
further degradation of their destiny and opportunities. He called on Igbos to
“prepare for the proposed three day prayers that will usher them into
reclaiming lost glory and end their long time enigmatic trauma”.
Reacting over the issue, Archbishop Dr A A Nwodika asked Igbos
to turn to God so that all these oppressions will end. According to Archbishop
Nwodika” The Igbo man is more interested in business, abandoning God, which is
why every other tribe is riding over us. Once we get back to our God roots in
Jesus, all these political and economic problems will begin to disappear”. He
lamented the victimization of Igbo public servants and described it as a root
problem which only God will solve.
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Politics