Ohanaeze crisis: Iwuanyanwu afraid of implementing Igbo Bishops’ report – Isiguzoro

A chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro has accused the Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu-led Igbo group of refusing to toe the line of peace in resolving the conflict rocking Ohanaeze for years.

Isiguzoro, who is the Secretary-General of the Chidi Ibeh-led Ohanaeze, spoke in a statement he personally signed on Monday.

After the tenure of Chief Nnia Nwodo as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, two factions emerged.

While late Prof. George Obiozor and his exco were elected in Imo State, the Chidi Ibeh-led group emerged from another exercise in Enugu.

Efforts have been made to resolve the crisis but it has not yielded any result until Obiozor passed on.

Chief Iwuanyanwu was then appointed as his replacement.

While providing a background to the crisis, Isiguzoror said the Iwuanyanwu-led Ohanaeze was not ready to accept the recommendations made by renowned clergymen in the South-East.

He condemned what he called frivolous accusations and cheap blackmail targeted against his person, noting that it was “aimed at hoodwinking the public, especially the presidency with fanciful falsehood.

“We urge the public to disregard statements emanating from those who are trying to give a dog a bad name to hang it.”

Isiguzoro said, “To put the record straight, Ohanaeze Ndigbo held her election on Jan 9th, 2021, at Brown and Brown Center Enugu, based on the Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s constitution articles 11, 12, and 13, with the 9-man electoral panel led by Prince Dr. Richard Ozobu and Dr. Precious Uzoma, and certificates of return were issued as evidence of election to the 24 newly elected members.

“It’s nonsensical and laughable for a faction rejected by Ndigbo to deploy unconstitutional means and resort to blackmail just to have access to the presidency and use Ohanaeze’s brand name to mortgage the destiny of Igbos and future of her unborn generation.

“We urge the general public to disregard any news emanating from Iwuanyanwu until the Igbo Bishops’ reports on the Ohanaeze crisis is fully implemented.

“Our suspicion has been reinforced that Chief Iwuanyanwu’s faction is afraid of the recommendation and reports of the conference of Igbo Bishops and Archbishops which will restore peace and harmony to the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

“Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu received officially the Secretary of Conference of Igbo Bishops and Archbishops on June 1st, 2023, where Methodist Bishop of Umuahia, Bishop Chibuzo Opoko presented to him the Igbo Bishops’ recommendation and reports on Ohanaeze crisis.

“They (the Bishops) had earlier waded into the crisis between the two factions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Upon receiving the report, Iwuanyanwu’s faction became unsettled and jittery, and resorted to media trials.

“We are ready to abide by the recommendations and reports of the Conference of Igbo Bishops and Archbishops. We are only fighting the irregularities in the system and to return Ohanaeze to Ndigbo, devoid of external manipulation and governors’ control.

“We will publish the Igbo Bishops’ recommendation and reports for public consumption so that Ndigbo home and diaspora will know the truth and prevail on Iwuanyanwu’s faction to accept and abide by the reports on Ohanaeze crisis and stop gallivanting in the media.

“Lastly, I will continue to work for the collective interests of Ndigbo and Nigeria at large.”