Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. PHOTO: SEYLLOU / AFP
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South East are on a collusion course over the former ‘s decision to convene a meeting of ImeObi (highest decision-making organ of the body) tomorrow in Enugu when President Muhammadu Buhari will be campaigning in the state.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chucks Ibegbu, had confirmed the meeting at its national secretariat in Enugu, stating that it would be used to chart a direction for the ethnic nationality regarding this year’s general elections.
The organisation had always announced its willingness to convene meeting to decide on which of the presidential candidates to adopt.
Expected at the parley are the five governors in the zone, present and past public office holders, monarchs, religious leaders as well as other major stakeholders.
But reacting yesterday to the development in Enugu, the APC accused Ohanaeze of always “sabotaging Igbo interest for some personal aggrandisement and that of President Buhari.”
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The party stated that no amount of Igbo meeting that would stop Buhari’s campaign in Enugu tomorrow.
The APC National Vice Chairman in the South East, Chief Emma Enukwu, told The InfoTrust that “Ohanaeze has always been known as one that will take a different dimension at the detriment of Ndigbo when it comes to politics.
“It is the only socio-cultural group that has taken a position on the 2019 elections with the adoption of candidates. But power belongs to God. Ohanaeze does not give power. President Buhari is coming to campaign and nothing will stop him by God’s grace.”
An Ohanaeze chieftain, Chief Richard Ozobu, decried the proposed meeting, noting that it “ leaves much to be desired.”
His words: “I have been a frontline player in Ohanaeze Ndigbo for many years and ImeObi meeting has never held on a Thursday but Saturdays.
“I can clearly tell you that Nwodo fixed this ImeObi meeting in bad faith. There is no emergency in Igboland to warrant the message he sent across that emergency meeting of ImeObi holds Thursday.
“This is to say the least that this meeting is trying to hoodwink the entire Igbo nation into something that is not good.”
APC leaders in the region had met in Enugu at the weekend to perfect strategies on ensuring a successful hosting of the presidential campaign.
The governorship candidate, Ayogu Eze, had promised that they were determined to give the president overwhelming votes come next month.
