Ohanaeze: Uwazurike, Asoluka Fault Obiozor’s Emergence As Consensus Candidate
Other leading aspirants for the President-General of apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have picked holes in the emergence of Professor George Obiozor as the consensus candidate for the position.
Professor Obiozor, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the United States was on Monday presented as a consensus flag bearer by Imo State Leaders of Thought led by Elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu at an event held at the Government House, Owerri.
But three of the aspirants – former presidents of Igbo Think-Tank group Aka-Ikenga, Chiefs Chris Asoluka and Goddy Uwazurike; and former Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu spoke on the issue yesterday with Uwazurike and Asoluka describing Obiozor’s mode of emergence as consensus flag-bearer as illegal and unknown to Ohanaeze Constitution.
Asked his take on the development, Nwaorgu, who has been in the Ohanaeze leadership hierarchy for close to 20 years said he was still studying the situation. ” Sorry, I am not yet ready for comments on the issue,” he said in terse reply to a text message.
However, Uwazurike said the process of electing Ohanaeze leaders has no room for interlopers and scuttles attempts to impose candidates, adding that the presentation of Obiozor as consensus candidate was a mere jamboree.
His words: “Adoption of a consensus candidate for an office in Ohanaeze by a group of people is alien to the constitution. Ohanaeze only requires a candidate to purchase a form and contest for the post assigned to his state. In other words, I can go and gather 1,000 people and declare that Mr A is now a consensus candidate. Such an action goes to no issue except to massage the ego of Mr A.
”The Ime-Obi is yet to sit to appoint an electoral committee. No electoral guidelines have been issued. So, what happened in Owerri is just a jamboree. Nobody can stop a candidate from the election. This is because the Ohanaeze constitution expects at least three candidates to vie for that office. Ohanaeze shies away from the manipulation of state government in the election of officers. It shunned the attempts of both Ebonyi and Imo States to impose candidates eight years ago by electing independent-minded officers.
”It is only after the screening of aspirants by the election committee that candidates can emerge for election for the office of the President General according to Article 11(b) of the Constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which stipulates that, ”the President-General shall be elected by the National General Assembly.”
Asked if he is still in the race, he said: “Of course, I am in the race! I dey kampe! I cannot be deterred by a group of people playing out a script. Elechi of Ebonyi and Rochas of Imo State tried it and failed. Ohanaeze has its own process of election. Definitely, presenting a person to a governor is not there.
” Presently, we are all aspirants. Ime-Obi will soon meet to appoint Electoral committee members. The electoral committee will present the guidelines to Imeobi for approval. Thereafter, aspirants will buy the forms and submit themselves for screening. If they are successful, they will become candidates. The voting for the next President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide will be done on the floor of the general assembly. The process has no room for any interloper.’
On his part, Asoluka, former vice president general (Imo) of Ohanaeze, co-chairman of southeast/South-South Professionals, SESSP, and chairman/member, Ohanaeze Election Committee for 2012 and 2016 elections consecutively, said that as of now, there are no candidates yet until an election committee and the guidelines have been approved by Ime-obi.
On the presentation of Obiozor as a consensus candidate by Imo Leaders of Thought, he said any group of individuals is free to endorse anyone but that it is only “their preference, which neither binds the election committee nor determines who is eligible to contest the forthcoming elections.” He argued that it is premature for anyone to speak on who and who are candidates for an election which guidelines are yet to be unveiled, adding that until the close of return of forms whenever it opens and closes, no one can be said to be running as a candidate. It is only after the screening committee of aspirants by the election committee that candidates can emerge.”
From The Vanguard