The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ohaneze

  • Ohaneze youths support restructuring

    The Southsouth zone of Ohaneze youth wing has supported a call for restructuring.

    It said it would benefit all zones.

    Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, the zonal coordinator, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, at the activities organised to commemorate the 6th anniversary of the Governor Seriake Dickson administration in Bayelsa State, said the comments by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on the desirability of state police and All Progressives Congress committee report on restructuring were indications that it had gained acceptability.

    He said restructuring entailed devolution of power to the regions, to ensure control of resources from where they were derived.

    According to him, regions will be better off in terms of development, as they have comparative advantage in certain sectors they can leverage on to fast track development.

    The youth leader noted that rather than depend on the Federal Government for sustenance, the regions in a restricted federation would engage in a healthy competition in the exploitation and development of their resources.

  • South East Governors, Ohaneze mourn Ekwueme

    South East Governors, Ohaneze mourn Ekwueme

    The South East Governors Forum and the Igbo socio-political and cultural Organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo have mourned the death of former  Vice President, Alex Ekwueme describing it as a great loss to the Igbo nation and the entire country
    Ekwueme died Sunday night in a London Hospital where he was receiving treatment.
    He was flown abroad after he went into coma in an Enugu hospital where he was rushed after he slumped in his house.
    Chairman of the Governor’s Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi described the death of Ekwueme as the end of an era.
    Governor Umahi in statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary,  Emmanuel Uzor expressed rude shock over the death of Ekwueme,  describing it as a great loss to Ndigbo in particular and Nigeria in general.
    He commiserated with the Government of Anambra State and entire Ekwueme family of Oko in Anambra state for the loss and prayed God to grant him eternal rest among His Saints.
    “The death of our father and leader,  Dr Ekwueme is so devastating especially now that his fatherly advice is needed most.  He was a great Nigerian and great believer in the unity of the country. As his children,  we have learnt a lot from his deep political sagacity.
    “As the Vice President of Nigeria,  Ekwueme was a great rallying factor of Igbo socio-political integration.  We was a voice of reason and a man who toiled to place Ndigbo at the centre of mainstream politics. Indeed we have lost a rare gem,  a gentleman and a decent politician and academia”
    The Governor further disclosed that the South East zone through the governors would soon draw programme on how to pay last respect to the fallen political Iroko and commiserated with his immediate family and indeed the government of Anambra State.
    For President General of Ohaneze, Mr John Nwodo, Ekwueme was an outstanding patriot whose contributions to the country’s socio political evolution would be indelible.
    The  Ohanaeze President in a statement said that the country has lost one of the foremost advocates of a restructured federation.
    “As Vice President Dr Ekwueme was intellectually forthright, engaging, loyal and outstandingly patriotic.
    “As a politician  he was courageous and original in his ideas. Ndigbo have lost a genius, a father and an intellectual giant.
    The Ohanaeze boss commiserated with his immediate family, friends and associates and Nigeria for the huge loss while urging Nigeria government to immortalize him.
  • IPOB not a terrorist group, says Ohaneze

    IPOB not a terrorist group, says Ohaneze

    The highest decision making organ of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Imeobi, has faulted the declaration of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as a terrorist group by the Army.

    The Imeobi made its position known in a nine point communique it issued at the end of its emergency meeting at the Nike Lake Resort Hotel Enugu.

    The communiqué was signed by Ohaneze President -General, John Nnia Nwodo and Secretary-General, Uche Okwukwu.

    The Army had two days ago declared IPOB a terrorist organisation after clashes with its men in Aba and Umuahia in which some persons reportedly lost their lives.

    The clashes followed the launch of operation python dance II by the Army in the South East region.

    The clashes also forced the South East Governors to proscribe the Nnamdi Kanu led secessionist group on Friday after it’s meeting in Enugu attended by Ohaneze and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

    But the Imeobi in faulting the declaration argued that the Army did not follow due process.

    “That Imeobi resolved that IPOB is not a terrorist organization. There are processes under extant national and international laws, especially the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011, as Amended in 2015 to determine whether a group is or not a terrorist organization”, the group said.

    The group also described as regrettable, the decision of the Nigerian Army to commence Operation Python Dance II in the South East and called for immediate termination of the exercise

    It further argued that military option is never a solution to problem of nation-building.

    “We refer for instance to the goings on in Spain, Scotland and other parts of the world to reaffirm that only through dialogue can the national question be resolved. Consequently, we condemn all acts of violence in pursuance of freedom of expression”, the group said.

    The Imeobi noted with great concern the continued policy of marginalization of South East Nigeria arguing that it is “the basic cause of the renewed agitation by the separatist groups”.

    The group further described as unfortunate and deplorable the loss of lives during the Armed Forces intervention and conveyed it’s sympathies to the bereaved families.

    The Imeobi maintained “that it is the sole responsibility of the Police in every democracy to maintain law and order and protection of lives and property of its citizens”.

    It commended the efforts of the Governors of the South East, South East National Assembly Caucus and Ohanaeze leadership to douse the tension in the South East zone and urged them to continue in their efforts until normalcy is restored.

    Ohaneze further reiterated that “a united Nigeria under a restructured federal system of government that guarantees justice, equity and fairness is the best system for this country”.

    The Imeobi also approved the dissolution of the National Executives of Youth and Women Wings of Ohanaeze.

  • Kanu: Between Malami and Ohaneze

    SIR: Nnamdi Kanu, the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is on trial for the offence of treason and treasonable felony among other offences. He was granted bail with conditions attached which he has since flouted and continues to do on daily basis. The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami being the Chief Law Officer of the federation is responsible for the prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu. The AGF is within his constitutional duties to request the court to revoke the bail earlier given to Kanu, and this action will in no way be categorized as an attempt to violate Kanu’s fundamental rights as posited by the Ohaneze leader, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, when he granted a press interview recently.

    Fundamental human rights guarantees as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the constitution are not without qualifications. Section 45 is a derogatory provision which qualified all the rights as subject to the overall interest of public peace and order, security and health. In addition to that, where a person is facing a criminal trial, he cannot claim the guarantee of his personal liberty. The relevant security agencies can apprehend a person on suspicion of committing an offence as well as under the orders of a court of law whether for a fresh offence or in pursuit of a bench warrant for flouting bail conditions; all these will not be in violation of a person’s right.

    In fact, the office of the AGF as the prosecutor will be failing in its responsibilities if it were to leave Nnamdi Kanu to continue flouting his bail conditions without drawing the attention of the court through a request for revocation of the bail. This will also set a bad precedence for any person on conditional bail, for there are no two sets of different laws for persons standing trial in Nigeria, and nobody should be above the law no matter how highly placed a person is or how much support he enjoys from the rest of the country. To allow that will be tantamount to an invitation of anarchy.

    There is also the allegation of bias and double standard on the part of the AGF by the Ohaneze leader, Chief Nwodo for the inability of the federal government to arrest the “Coalition of Arewa Youth” that issued a quit notice for Igbos residing in the North to vacate the region before October 1.

    First, it must be noted that the two cases are not the same either in magnitude or in procedural handling. Nnamdi Kanu was already on trial and the AGF was prosecuting him. The Arewa Youth on the other hand were not on trial. They also were smart in their action from the get go, treading a careful thin line between an overt action that can be termed as a crime to that of an advisory position to the federal government, I suspect this may not be unconnected to the reason why they were not arrested and prosecuted in the first place.

    For any person to be prosecuted for his actions or omission, the action must be clearly defined as an “offence” written as a law and its punishment prescribed thereto, hence the latin maxim “Nulla Poena Sina Lege”. This is not in any way an excuse for their actions, but some actions can be morally reprehensible yet not criminal. Perhaps, they could have been arrested and prosecuted for conduct likely to breach public peace or for an offence of incitement to cause violent and intimidation acts, all of which are charges that any defence lawyer could easily debunk. Definitely, a civil action for claim under the enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights could have been brought against them, and what relief could have been sought? An Order of Mandamus compelling them to rescind the quit notice.

    So, to posit that the AGF was biased and has exhibited double standards for not prosecuting the Arewa Youth Group as a reason why the AGF should not pursue the revocation of Kanu Nnamdi’s bail for flouting the attached conditions is to whip up sentiments and almost tantamount to obstruction of justice by the Ohaneze leader.

     

    • Aliyu Abdullahi,

    Abuja.

  • Not so, Ohaneze

    Not so, Ohaneze

    The group goofed on Kanu; it should not be seen to be backing lawlessness

    THE decision by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, to back the empty rhetoric of Nnamdi Kanu is incredulous, and we condemn it. Even if the group has any misgivings against the handling of similar cases, it is not enough to back Kanu’s irresponsible grandstanding, following the request by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) that the court should order his re-arrest, for flouting his bail conditions. To do otherwise is to push for a descent into anarchy, and Ohaneze should know that.

    While the argument that the AGF should have pursued with similar vigour the arrest and prosecution of the Arewa Youths, who until recently, had crossed the proverbial red line, by ordering the Igbos living in the Northern part of the country to leave before October 1 is tenable; it cannot justify any ambivalence about the rule of law in the country. Unless Ohaneze is saying that we are no longer a country under law, the request by the AGF should be left for the courts to decide.

    By appealing to a higher court to vary his bail conditions, we thought Kanu had submitted to the rule of law. So, to go ahead as he has been accused of doing by the AGF, to flout the bail conditions, even if he considers them obnoxious, is to take the laws into his own hands, and Ohaneze should differentiate between the two conducts. Kanu cannot accept the bail granted by the high court and yet flout the conditions, when he is yet to gain a variation by a higher court.

    That is why Ohaneze, even while it may complain against the conduct of the AGF, should not lend any form of support to any outlawry by Kanu. We believe the AGF cannot in good conscience support the argument in the public domain that the Arewa Youths have not been arrested and prosecuted for security reasons, even as he is comfortable to seek the re-arrest of Kanu. If both conducts offended the law, he has no choice but to treat them equally.

    But, having said that, we find it difficult to understand the motive driving the extreme conduct of Kanu, in his agitation for Biafra. If he hankers on referendum as the ultimate determinant of whether the country should be dismembered; we ask, did he conduct any referendum before he assumed the position of the spokesman or even the leader of the Igbos? Without conducting any referendum, how can he give ultimatum on behalf of Igbos and insist that the government must obey it?

    That is why we regard him as being delusional. We are convinced that it is only a deluded mind that can be making the kind of statements that he makes, and believe that the government will not do anything to counter him. Even more daring is his setting up of the so-called Biafra Secret Service. We think every Nigerian, including Ohaneze, should deprecate that silly conduct. How can he set up a secret service unknown to law, in a country governed by the rule of law?

    We nonetheless note that the Federal Government may have erred at the beginning when it ignored a court order granting Kanu bail, but that has been corrected and until the conditions are varied by a superior court, the bail conditions should be obeyed. Instead of heightening the tension in the country, Ohaneze, as elders, should do all in their power to tame the wild conducts of the youths.

    We also urge the Federal Government to use similar standards to rein in deviants across the country.

  • Not so, Ohaneze

    The group goofed on Kanu; it should not be seen to be backing lawlessness

    THE decision by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, to back the empty rhetoric of Nnamdi Kanu is incredulous, and we condemn it. Even if the group has any misgivings against the handling of similar cases, it is not enough to back Kanu’s irresponsible grandstanding, following the request by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) that the court should order his re-arrest, for flouting his bail conditions. To do otherwise is to push for a descent into anarchy, and Ohaneze should know that.

    While the argument that the AGF should have pursued with similar vigour the arrest and prosecution of the Arewa Youths, who until recently, had crossed the proverbial red line, by ordering the Igbos living in the Northern part of the country to leave before October 1 is tenable; it cannot justify any ambivalence about the rule of law in the country. Unless Ohaneze is saying that we are no longer a country under law, the request by the AGF should be left for the courts to decide.

    By appealing to a higher court to vary his bail conditions, we thought Kanu had submitted to the rule of law. So, to go ahead as he has been accused of doing by the AGF, to flout the bail conditions, even if he considers them obnoxious, is to take the laws into his own hands, and Ohaneze should differentiate between the two conducts. Kanu cannot accept the bail granted by the high court and yet flout the conditions, when he is yet to gain a variation by a higher court.

    That is why Ohaneze, even while it may complain against the conduct of the AGF, should not lend any form of support to any outlawry by Kanu. We believe the AGF cannot in good conscience support the argument in the public domain that the Arewa Youths have not been arrested and prosecuted for security reasons, even as he is comfortable to seek the re-arrest of Kanu. If both conducts offended the law, he has no choice but to treat them equally.

    But, having said that, we find it difficult to understand the motive driving the extreme conduct of Kanu, in his agitation for Biafra. If he hankers on referendum as the ultimate determinant of whether the country should be dismembered; we ask, did he conduct any referendum before he assumed the position of the spokesman or even the leader of the Igbos? Without conducting any referendum, how can he give ultimatum on behalf of Igbos and insist that the government must obey it?

    That is why we regard him as being delusional. We are convinced that it is only a deluded mind that can be making the kind of statements that he makes, and believe that the government will not do anything to counter him. Even more daring is his setting up of the so-called Biafra Secret Service. We think every Nigerian, including Ohaneze, should deprecate that silly conduct. How can he set up a secret service unknown to law, in a country governed by the rule of law?

    We nonetheless note that the Federal Government may have erred at the beginning when it ignored a court order granting Kanu bail, but that has been corrected and until the conditions are varied by a superior court, the bail conditions should be obeyed. Instead of heightening the tension in the country, Ohaneze, as elders, should do all in their power to tame the wild conducts of the youths.

    We also urge the Federal Government to use similar standards to rein in deviants across the country.

  • Ohanaeze opposes re-arrest of Kanu, accuses AGF of bias

    Ohanaeze opposes re-arrest of Kanu, accuses AGF of bias

    The president of Igbo socio-political organization, the Ohanaeze,  Chief John Nnia Nwodo, has  rejected fresh moves by the Federal Government to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
    He said  Kanu was free  as a citizen to hold any point of view, no matter how displeasing to anyone,  provided it was not inciting or provoking any criminal activities.
    He accused the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), of bias by allegedly looking the other way when the Arewa Youths gave October 1 quit notice to Igbos in the North.
    Nwodo, who stated these in a statement in Abuja on Saturday,  warned the AGF against exacerbating the tension in the country.
    He said: “It has just been brought to my notice that the Attorney-General of the Federation has approached the courts to incarcerate Nnamdi Kanu for flouting his bail conditions.
    “I am amazed that the distinguished attorney is prepared to contest the superiority of the provisions of the constitution on freedom of movement and freedom of association over an erroneous judicial proclamation violating those rights.
    “ I am equally miffed by the audacity with which the Attorney-General displays his bias without regard to his oath of office.
    “A few hours ago under the watchful eyes of the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and in total defiance of the Head of State’s proclamation of the rights of a citizen of Nigeria to live anywhere in Nigeria and to do business anywhere in Nigeria, the Arewa Youths, pretending to withdraw their quit notice gave qualifications to the Head of State’s proclamation, issuing conditions for enjoyment of citizenship status.”
    He accused the AGF of allegedly  looking the other way when Arewa Youths issued quit notice to Igbo in the North.
    The Ohanaeze chief added: “These same Arewa Youths are supposed to have been arrested on the orders of the Governor of Kaduna State and the Inspector General of Police for acts of treason, conversion and sedition.
    “As the Chief Law officer of the Federation the Attorney-General looks the other way.  He does not go to court to seek an order of arrest or prosecution.”
    “Nnamdi, as a citizen of Nigeria, is free to hold any point of view no matter how displeasing to anyone so long as it is  not inciting or provoking any criminal activities.”
    Nwodo said although he and some Igbo leaders had disagreed with Kanu and Radio Biafra on a number of issues, they have upheld their right to differ in the spirit of democracy.
    He warned the AGF against aggravating the tension in the country by re-arresting the IPOB leader.
    He said:  “I and some Igbo leaders have differences of opinion with Nnamdi on a number of issues.  We have been insulted and abused by Radio Biafra but we concede them their right to differ from us.  We concede them their nature to be exuberant as youths but we cannot be judgmental about their rights.
    “This is a democracy.  In democracies leaders are abused, pelted with rotten eggs and booed at, as the former Edo State Governor was booed in Abuja a few days ago.  These acts are not necessarily criminal.
    “I urge the Attorney-General not to exacerbate our already tense nation by commencing a legal action which portrays him as biased, insensitive and misdirected.”
  • Anambra Church killings an attack on God- Ohaneze​

    Anambra Church killings an attack on God- Ohaneze​

    The Socio-Cultural group Ohaneze Ndigbo has condemned the attack on St Philip Catholic Church Ozubulu, Anambra state by unknown gunmmen describing it as an attack on God.
    “Such a dastardly and cantankerous act smells to high heaven. People have lost reason, civility and good conscience. This is a direct attack on God with daft and brazen impunity,” the organisation noted .
    In statement by the National Publucity Secretary of the Organization, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, Ohaneze said the attack is unforgivable.
    “The devil sold a dummy to them and they bought it hook, line and sinker. This is condemned in all ramification. If you attack a man you appeal to God for recompense, when you attack God in His sanctuary who will will appeal to”, he queried.
    The group while commiserating with the government and people of the state, urged the Police not to speculate but to carry out detailed investigation to unmask the real perpetrators.
    “Ohaneze joins the league of well meaning Nigerians to commiserate with the good people of Anambra state and, in particular, the entire bereaved families and pray the Almighty God to give them enough spiritual shock absorber to bear the irreparable and irreplaceable loss.
    “The operatives should not speculate. They should swing into action to unmask the devil incarnates”.
    Mr Achi-Okpaga further charged  security agencies to redouble their efforts to make the south east zone safer for the people.
     “The whole of South East is under siege with Police and military blockades here and there. Yet herdsmen killings and kidnapping and all sorts of vices have become the order of the day. It is unfortunate,” he lamented.

  • Biafra agitators and Ohaneze

    SIR: Intense controversy and war of words have lately been raging between the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization-Ohaneze Ndigbo in the context of the current socio-political quagmire in which the Nigerian state has recently found itself.

    It is needless to emphasize the point that Ndigbo as a people cannot afford the luxury of dissipating their energy on frivolities and pursing shadows when the present air of uncertainty and extremely dangerous situation pervading the political landscape urgently demand the collective and concerted efforts by the various groups in the struggle for the emancipation of Ndigbo and their survival under the extremely hostile and unpredictable Nigerian environment.

    All well-meaning sons and daughters of Ndigbo must rise up to the occasion and quickly come to terms with the present realities to the effect that Ndigbo today are at crossroads and confronted with unimaginable challenges in the country. Various Igbo groups should immediately come together and speak with one voice rather than the present discordant voices among Igbo leaders and mindless pursuit of selfish interest and personal ego which do not serve the collective interest of Ndigbo. Igbo leaders across the entire spectrum should engage themselves in a pro-active diplomacy as the unfolding political developments continue to play out.

    The leadership of various organizations presently championing the struggle for the emancipation of Ndigbo should realize that circumstances or rather exigencies of the current situation in the country has thrust upon them the onerous task of piloting the affairs of Ndigbo and since they were never democratically elected by the generality of Ndigbo, none of them, including Ohaneze should arrogate to themselves or claim the position of pre-eminence or superiority over other Igbo groups. All hands must therefore, be on deck to enable Ndigbo confront squarely their common foes which are criminal marginalization, subjugation and defeatist mentality in a nation they had called their own. And as events are rapidly unfolding, Ndigbo as a people must be prepared to take their destiny into their hands by demanding for self-determination through an organized referendum to decide their future once and for all in this utterly defective and unworkable Nigerian project.

     

    • Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP)

    Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.

  • Group urges Ohaneze to promote Igbo unity

    An Igbo group, the Izu-Umunna Cultural Association (IUCA), has congratulated the new President of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. John Nwodo, on his election.

    A statement by its President, Dr. Ugo Ihekuna, and Secretary General Chief Elvis Chukwu, described Nwodo’s election as very apt, especially coming at a time the Igbo nation is facing a lot of challenges.

    The statement said, “We are optimistic that your election will give Ohaneze Ndigbo a new sense of direction and purpose and lay to rest the lingering squabbles that had bugged down the smooth running of Ohaneze Ndigbo for some time now.”

    IUCA urged Nwodo to bring his wealth of experience as a technocrat, statesman and administrator to bear on his new assignment, “We hope that the Ohaneze Ndigbo will direction and purpose under your leadership,” it added.

    Izu-Umunna also congratulated the electoral body, led by Prof. Anya O Anya, for conducting a free and fair election.