Ohanaeze Ndigbo: I’m the rightful leader not Iwuanyanwu, says Valentine Oparaocha

VALENTINE Oparaocha, President General of Igbo Community, Minna, has laid claims to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide.

According to him, he came second in the election that brought in the late Prof. Obiozor, past leader of the group.

In a petition to the Imeobi, Oparaocha rejected the appointment/selection of Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as the new President General, PG, as unconstitutional.

He said that the Imo State Government had no business selecting President General for Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Ezes and the Imo people alone could not choose who becomes  the President General.

Expressing his disaffection over the choice of Iwuanyanwu as the new President General, Oparaocha recalled that when the position was advertised in the year 2020, 18 Imo State indigenes indicated interest.

According to him, six bought forms at the cost of N500,000 and were all screened.

“The Elders Council and the Imo State government stepped in and asked everyone to step down for Prof. Obiozor! Prof. Obiozor was 78 at the time.

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“On the 10th January, 2021, we obediently oblige. No compensation for transportation, hotel accommodation, advertisement. No refund of money spent for the form. Kola nut worth N10 million was given to each of the states that attended as bribe. But nothing to compensate the contestants.

“At the last minute, the electoral committee insisted that there must be three contestants. This brought two of us back in to contest with Obiozor. He won. And I came second behind him, the state anointed candidate.

“However, Obiozor died. This was not envisaged. But the constitution has not changed. It is time to replace him. The IMO state turn has not elapsed.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu can win election, why the selection? This is setting a bad precedence which is capable of breaking Ohanaeze further. It is unconstitutional and it is illegal.

“The constitution is still there. Those who bought form and contested with Obiozor are still there. Rather than looking for already screened candidates, who bought forms and are equally qualified for the job, you have selected another elder, (80yrs old), far above the constitutional requirements, to spite the younger people.” he added.

Oparaocha has also based his claims on the following:

·         That the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo provided that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo should be elected through a contested election and also by rotation, among the seven Igbo speaking states of southern Nigeria.

.      That it is the turn of Imo State indigenes to produce the President General between the year 2021- 2025. Hence, only someone from Imo State can replace Obiozor till 2025. ‘But this must be by election.’

·         That the same constitution stated that the President General should be between the ages of 50 & 70 years old.

The Imeobi will be ratifying the selection of Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide on the 30th of April, 2023, in Enugu State.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo: I’m the rightful leader not Iwuanyanwu, says Valentine Oparaocha