The Nation Newspaper

Tag: John Nnia Nwodo

  • NLC berates IPOB for incessant attack on Ohanaeze leader

    The Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  has condemned the incessant attacks on the Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s President-General, John Nnia Nwodo, by the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).

    NLC Chairman in the state Virginus Nwobodo, who other union leaders to visit Chief Nwodo at home, described as  unfortunate that rather than pour accolades on Nwodo, the group hauls insults on him.

    He described the Ohanaeze chief as a solid and progressive with a rare leadership quality, adding that the NLC “condemns unequivocally the venomous outburst, insults and boundless vituperative attacks on one of the great leaders of Igbo nation.”

    The unionist described Nwodo as an “erudite, courageous, eloquent and well respected son.”

    Read Also: I leave IPOB leader’s threat to God and the law, says Nwodo

    Decrying any situation that could lead to another war, he urged IPOB to embrace peace that can lead to a referendum/restructuring.

    Nwodo thanked the NLC for their unflinching support, especially at this critical period in the nation’s history, regretting that after campaigning for the release of the IPOB leader from detention and defending IPOB at different fora, including outside the country, he would become the object of invectives and abuse by the group.

    He expressed satisfaction for awakening the consciousness of Ndigbo and Nigerians at large to the need for an equitable and egalitarian society.

    Nwodo pledged to use the remaining 15 months of his tenure to work assiduously not to disappoint those who support and believe in him.

  • I leave IPOB leader’s threat to God and the law, says Nwodo

    NATIONAL President of apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, says he has left the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to God and the law.

    Nwodo’s remark was contained in an open letter to Ndigbo concerning an online video in which Kanu made series of allegations against him.

    “I have noted the threats to my life from the IPOB leader.  I leave that to God and the law,” Nwodo wrote.

    Read Also: No regrets attacking Ekweremadu – IPOB

    Calling on South East leaders to condemn the IPOB leader’s action, Nwodo said: “Ndigbo, I have championed your cause with every amount of energy in me.  I have worked with little encouragement or assistance. Thank God my team and I have elevated Ohanaeze Ndigbo to an enviable status.  It is dangerous for our solidarity and ultimate success if we allow these vituperative outbursts to truncate our solidarity.

    “In spite of all I say, I salute Nnamdi for his courage and his persistence in upholding our case but I urge you all to rise up and condemn what is condemnable.  Speak up and shame those who would want us to split into pieces and destroy our resolve to fight as a united people.

    As a father, I will always forgive an erring child but not without drawing his attention to a misdemeanor which should never be repeated.

  • Onnoghen: Ohanaeze to FG, stop heating the Polity

    The President General of apex Igbo organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo has warned the Federal Government that it is heating up the polity by the needless action it is taking against the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    The President General said that legal opinion did not support the action and therefore should not have been contemplated at all.

    In a signed statement, Chief Nwodo said Ohaneze received, with shock and disappointment, the decision of the Federal government of Nigeria, acting through the Code of Conduct Bureau to prosecute the Chief Justice Of Nigeria.

    The President General noted that Legal opinion abounds that the action is premature and ill-conceived following an extant Court Of Appeal decision which interprets the procedure for prosecuting judicial officers.

    “This procedure has not been followed. The fact that the National Judicial Council has been ignored is not just illegal but suggests deliberate court shopping and a predetermined objective.

    Secondly, the fact that one of the issues being canvassed by the CCB before the CCT is for an order of the CCT for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to step aside from his exalted office pending the conclusion of the trial contrary to the procedure for his removal from office as provided by the Nigerian constitution exposes the aim of the prosecution.”

    Nwodo said that a perusal of some of the depositions in the charge sheet also shows a completely distorted conception of the regulations pertaining to the declaration of assets.

    Read Also: Judge halts FG’s planned trial of CJN

    “Assets acquired after assumption of office are declared at the end of a public official’s tenure in order to present a comparison with assets declared on assumption of office.

    Said Nwodo:”The Federal government is heating up the polity. Not long ago we were entertained with all sorts of interpretations of the Vice President’s powers while the President is on leave. The GMD of the NNPC was accused of violating laws pertaining to the award of contracts. Because he comes from a protected ethnic group and class, no investigation was conducted.

    Fulani herdsman killed 110 natives of Nimbo, in Enugu State. Police investigations led to the arrest of some of the herdsman with their telephone pictures of the carnage but not one has been prosecuted.

    “The same carnage took place in Benue State. Pictures of the murderers wearing the uniform of the choir members of a Catholic church where they murdered their priests and members of their congregation were all over the social media. No one was arrested or prosecuted.

    “Their sponsors, Miyetti Allah, addressed a press conference recently extolling their ethnic agenda and making decisive and inciting statements. Not one of them was arrested. The insensitiveness of the Federal government to respect for our constitution. It’s patronage of double standards in the enforcement of the law is sickening and abhorrent. If these developments are taken together with the obvious rigging regulations approved by INEC, we fear that our country is about to be thrown into a needless political instability.“

  • NASS siege: Ohanaeze calls for thorough investigation

    …Says action amounts to coup d’état

    The Igbo Socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on the Federal Government to conduct a thorough investigation into Tuesday’s siege at the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).

    The organisation, in a statement signed by its The President General of the Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia-Nwodo, on Wednesday in Abuja, described the action of the security operatives as an equivalent of a coup.

    He said all the characters that participated in the act either directly or indirectly be made to face the law in order to act as a deterrent to overzealous operatives.

    Chief Nwodo, called on to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to go beyond the sacking of the former Director General of DSS, Lawal Daura and institute a high powered investigation to fish out all the culprits involved.

    He said it was not possible for the DSS to carry out the siege alone without the involvement of the Nigeria Police.

    Chief Nwodo doubted the noninvolvement of the Police on the siege and urged the VP to critically examine the role of the Police and its claim that it did not participate as possible after thought only after the ‘coup’ failed.

    Read Also: Ohanaeze cautions against Buhari’s impeachment

    The Ohanaeze leader said the siege brought an enormous embarrassment to the country, urging the government not treat the matter with levity.

    The statement reads: “If the state security can just wake up and seal up the National Assembly housing the country’s parliament they could go further one day to over throw government after discussing with some interest groups.

    “As a constitutionally recognized arm of government with its own statutory responsibilities, if there is a disagreement within them, they should be allowed to resolve it themselves unless there is violence before the security can be involved.

    Chief Nwodo noted that democracy would be better served if all the arms of government are allowed to operate without undue interference from each other.

  • IPOB: Ohanaeze warns FG on frivolous court order

    IPOB: Ohanaeze warns FG on frivolous court order

    The Igbo socio-political organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Tuesday warned courts in Nigeria not to allow themselves be used to undermine democratic process by granting frivolous orders against the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    Ohanaeze, in a statement signed by its President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said it has credible intelligence that the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has secretly approached courts to obtain an order to designating IPOB a terrorist group.

    Nwodo said such move is not only illegal but aimed at furthering the harassment and intimidation of Igbo youths who have been pursuing their constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights.

     

  • Nwodo is new Ohanaeze president

    Former Information minister, John Nnia Nwodo (jnr), has been elected the new president general for Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    Nwodo beat his only rival, a former Vice-Chancellor of the former Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH), Prof. Chinweta Ejike, by a wide margin of 242 votes to 13.

    Two other contestants had stepped down for Nwodo, while former governor of old Anambra and Imo States, Commodore Allison Madueke (rtd) earlier withdrew from the contest.

    Uche Okwukwu from Rivers State was elected the secretary general.

    A retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hilary Opara, from Imo state was elected Deputy president general,  ‎while Solomon Ogunji from Delta was elected the deputy secretary general.

    Former Ebonyi State deputy governor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, was elected vice president, Ebonyi State.

    The election was conducted under peaceful and conducive atmosphere.