Chukwudi Achife, Enugu

Secretary General of the organisation, Chief Joe Achuzia who made the allegations in a chat with reporters in Enugu also declared that the organisation has not mandated nor authorised any group or individual to act or speak on its behalf on issues relating to the political future of Ndigbo including the presidency in 2007.

He said some Northern politicians sponsor meetings and activities of some Igbo politicians under the platform of ‘Concerned Members of Ohanaeze,’ to pursue their objectives of destablizing the organisation.

Achuzia said it was the same people that had been pushing for the election of a new executive for Ohanaeze even when the current executive has not served its four-year term in a bid to take over the leadership of the organisation.

"We are aware of the move by eminent Northerners to divide the rank and file of Ndigbo by giving them money to go and take over Ohanaeze, but I can assure you they will not succeed. There is only one Ohanaeze and this is the one that has its secretariat at No 7 Park Avenue, Enugu. I can assure you that nobody is going to take over that place to advance the interests of other groups".

He lamented that the untoward activities of the groups were coming at a time that the Ohanaeze had put structures in place to realise the objective of a president of Igbo extraction adding that they had been conveying the impression that there were divisions within the organisation.

"It is disheartening that just as the present leadership of Ohanaeze was able to package events on the political level that are almost producing a presidential candidate, every other politician has now started forming different organisations claiming to have been mandated by Ohanaeze to speak for Ndigbo", he said.

Achuzia recalled that the former Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Professor Ben

Nwabueze had in a press statement dated May 24, 2003 declared the same and another known as the Igbo Leaders of Thought, illegal, adding that it "was not part of Ohanaeze or in any way connected with Ohanaeze"

Meanwhile, the leadership of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has dismissed current row over its tenureship, stating categorically that it has a term of four years.

The clarification of the Prof. Joe Irukwu (SAN) led leadership, contained in a letter sent to South-East governors as a response to allegation that it was working to stay beyond two years, comes as the body is billed to meet with the governors and political leaders from the South-East on Friday.

A statement signed by the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, said the high profile meeting slated for the Banquet Hall of Presidential Hotel, Enugu will, apart from the Senate President, Ken Nanamani, five South-East governors, speakers, the state House of Assembly, local government chairmen, be graced by eminent Igbo leaders both within and outside the shores of Nigeria, and a representative of women and youth.

Insisting that it was elected to serve for four years and not two as being alleged by some people who had audience with the five South-East governors on December 18, 2005, Ohanaeze leadership said the campaign to sack it from office by some elements was the handiwork of people whose aim was to destabilize the umbrella organisation.

Insisting that the constitution of Ohanaeze adopted by the General Assembly in Owerri on Sunday, November 30, 2003, stipulates four years and not two for the elected officials of the organisation.

The letter entitled: Executive Summary, Ohanaeze’s response to the summarised position of IGBO leaders of Thought Complaint to South-East Governors in December 18, 2005 read in part:

"The brethren is that the Ohanaeze leadership acted in breach of the Ohanaeze constitution. This allegation is not true as evidenced by all the available and recorded evidence. This is clearly not a case of any constitution regation as alleged by rather that of a constitution crisis due to the existence of two rejected constitutions, one siged and the other unsigend"

Giving a detailed account of how the constitutiona that precises four years, term for the executives, was adopted in preference to the one that stipulates a two year term for some officials, Ohanaeze letter to the governor explained that "the constitutional crisis took place at the Imerbi meeting held in Enugu on November 24, 2003, presided over by the immediate past President-General, Hon Justice Eze Ozobu.

"The President-General and several members challenged the authenticity of the newly, printed constitution which was not signed on the ground that it had been seriously doctored and that it did not represent the draft earlier agreed upon.

"The fact that it was reported that the printing had been coordinated by Prof Ben Obumselu and printed by Engr. Chris Okoye’s company only aggravated matters to the extent that the meeting became rowdy and difficult to control.

"Following the insistence of some members that there would be no election until the issue of the constitutional discrepancies are satisfactorily resolved, it was unanimously resolved that a committee be set up under the chairmanship of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu to review and harmonise all the conflicts and discrepancies in these constitutions and to recommend the basis for the holding by the impending elections in Owerri on November 30, 2003 since the primary concern of most members was the election of a new leadership to take over from the Eze Ozobu/Nwabueze leadership.

"Thereaftrer, the Iwuanyanwu committeed carried out thair assignment and reported to the General Assembly in Owerri on November 30, 2003 as directed. Their report was appropriately presented and unanimously adopted by the General Assembly and formed the basis for the election of the National Officers on the same date".

Ohanaeze’s letter which was signed by Prof Irukwu, the organisation said, Co Ive Achuzie (rtd) and 10 other officials of the umbrella body, accused Engr Okoye, Prof Obumselu and few others of working to destabilise Ohanaeze.

It was insisted on fighting for the rights and welfare of Ndizbo in Nigiera even as it vowed to serve out its term expected to elapse on January 29, 2008.