From CHARLES ONYEKWERE
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has blamed South East leaders for the poor participation of eligible voters in the recently concluded online voters registration conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Ohanaeze said following a thorough investigation into the dismal registration figure of eligible voters in the South East, it is compelled to deliver this unvarnished truth to Igbo people.
The pan-lgbo group stated that the figures are stark and deeply concerning, adding that throughout the one-week online registration exercise from August 18-25, the region recorded just 1,998 new voter registration.
Ohanaeze, in a statement Monday by its factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and National Spokesman, Chief Thompson Ohia, noted that the abysmal figure stands in stark contrast to the 1.3 million new voters registered nationwide.
“Astonishingly, the South West region registered a staggering 848,359 new voters, followed by the North Central region with 250,218.
“These figures represent a profound and unacceptable underperformance for the South East.
“Therefore, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, driven by an unwavering commitment to the welfare and future of Ndigbo, issues this imperative: Every eligible Igbo voter must, without hesitation, register during the ongoing INEC in-person voters registration exercise.
“Our internal investigations reveal a catastrophic failure of leadership and a glaring lack of awareness among the electorate regarding the significance of the online registration process.
“The absence of participation in Anambra State, where a single individual did not register, is particularly egregious and demands immediate condemnation.
“We hold all political leaders in Anambra State accountable, including Governor Charles Soludo and former Governor Peter Obi, for their dereliction of duty,” the body said.
It asserted that the failure to mobilise eligible citizens for the exercise represents a betrayal of trust.
“The blame, however, extends far beyond Anambra State. We castigate South East governors, whose focus on a narrow political agenda has demonstrably overshadowed the paramount political interest of Igbo people.
“While Ohanaeze Ndigbo itself acknowledges its own shortcomings in this endeavor, traditional rulers and civil rights groups are also implicated in this collective failure.
“This irresponsible conduct has rendered the region a political caricature in the eyes of the nation.
“These leaders have committed a grave political sacrilege, an unforgivable blunder, by failing to mobilise Igbo people for this vital registration process.
“We cannot afford to be excluded from this critical electoral process. Failure to register will have dire consequences,” it added.
