From CHARLES ONYEKWERE
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has reiterated its stance that Rivers State will produce the next president-general come January 2025.
This decision was rooted in Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s Constitution, which guarantees Rivers State’s right to the leadership role.
In a statement released yesterday by the factional Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the organisation warned against attempts by two South-East governors and certain political leaders to disrupt this constitutional process.
Isiguzoro emphasised that any effort to bypass Rivers State’s right to the presidency will be met with strong resistance from Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Ohanaeze expressed gratitude to Igbo people globally for their participation in the 2024 Igbo Day celebration held on September 29.
The statement stressed the critical need to preserve the unity of the Igbo nation by following the constitutional process, noting that any disruption could have long-lasting negative effects on the identity and cohesion of the people.
Ohanaeze alleged that two South-East governors, in collaboration with a former head of state from the South-West and a prominent opposition figure in the 2023 presidential elections, are working to transfer the presidency to Abia State.
According to the statement, this coalition, along with external entities such as the Pan Niger Delta organisation, is seen as a calculated attempt to undermine the Igbo identity and maintain divisions dating back to the Biafra War.
The organisation pointed out that these political maneuvers were driven by ambitions related to the 2027 elections, aiming to exploit the situation for personal gain at the expense of Igbo unity.
Ohanaeze reaffirmed that the emergence of a president-general from Rivers State is non-negotiable and must be respected.
