By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Directorate of State (DOS) of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Saturday called on Ohanaeze Ndigbo to strictly adhere to the provisions of its constitution as it pertains to the election of the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in January 2025.

The group in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said its intelligence reports revealed that some misguided individuals among Ohanaeze are working on changing some sections of their constitution to exclude Igbos from outside the South-East from emerging as President General of the organisation.

The statement read in part: “The Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra believes that such a move will be catastrophic to those individuals contemplating such a step.

"It has been a part of IPOB’s fundamental objectives to unite Ndigbo in all states in Anambra, Abia, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Kogi states and we believe that Ohanaeze Ndigbo should be at the forefront of this objectives of uniting Ndigbo worldwide together and not to work contrary to this objective.

“No Igbo person is more important than the other. Ndigbo are one flesh and one blood but balkanized by the Nigerian government in order to divide and conquer us.

“The zoning arrangement in Ohanaeze Ndigbo's constitution dealing with the election of its leadership MUST be strictly adhered to the letter. It is our understanding that the present Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership of which the president general was elected from Imo State, would elapse in January 2025. It is also our understanding that the next leadership, specifically the president general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who will be elected also in January 2025, will emerge from Ndigbo in Rivers State.

"If the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo provides that it is the turn of Ndigbo in Rivers State to produce the next Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General in January 2025, then all hands and efforts should be channeled towards ensuring that a competent Onyeigbo from among Ndigbo in Rivers State is elected.

"There should be no question or need for other contestants from other states outside Rivers State to join the race for the election of Ohanaeze Ndigbo's President general in January 2025 because that is what their constitution stipulated and nobody should manipulate the process or embark on disgraceful visits to individuals outside Igboland and who are not Ndigbo in evil and wicked conspiracy to change the rules in other to deny Ndigbo in Rivers State their right to lead the Ohanaeze socio-cultural group.

“We are of the considered view that Ohanaeze Ndigbo should be at the forefront of the Igbo unification project and not to sabotage it because those who toe that part will go down in our history as saboteurs and they and their entire generations will be regarded and seen in that light. They must consider properly the consequences of their actions both now and in the long future.”

IPOB said that its leadership has been working assiduously to unite Ndigbo carved into other regions to come back together to pursue its common destiny by recognizing the oneness,

It warned Traditional Rulers, Elders of Igbo Nation and the Imeobi of Ohanaeze to do themselves a world of good by working for the unity of Ndigbo in all the regions of Igbo land.

IPOB further stated categorically and unequivocally that, “any individual or group of individuals who has contemplated,contemplating or will contemplate to embark on a disgraceful visit to Obasanjo in Otta Farm to interfere in the coming election of Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-cultural organization must jettison such thoughts and contemplations for their own good.”

The group noted that it is the duty of the Imobi Ohanaeze, religious leaders, and first class Traditional Rulers in Igboland to settle the differences between members or factions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, not a non-Igbo person or group.

It added: “Obasanjo MUST stay away from getting himself involved in Ohanaeze matter even if some selfish individuals want to drag him into Ohanaeze Ndigbo's issues.

“There was never a time when any Yoruba group came to the Igboland with their problems for Igbo people to settle it for them.

“It is not only shameful but subservient for any person or persons to contemplate taking Ohanaeze Ndigbo matter to another tribe to settle. That will not be allowed to happen. Ndigbo has men and women of honour and integrity who can intervene to justly settle any internal issues that may arise in Ala Igbo.

“We do not need outsiders and anti-Igbo people like Obasanjo and his cronies. IPOB forbid those misguided selfish Ohanaeze Ndigbo individuals from disgracing Ndigbo further with their behaviour. If these individuals insist on still going to Obasanjo to get himself involved in purely Ohanaeze Ndigbo internal matter, then such person or persons should after undertaking such journey, remain in Otta farms and never contemplate returning to Ala Igbo.

“If Ohanaeze Ndigbo just try to deny Ndigbo in Rivers State their due right to present the next president general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, then those behind that attempt must be ready to take full responsibility for what would happen afterwards.More than (75%) of Ndigbo living in Rivers State are competent and qualified individuals with the capacity and capability to lead Ohanaeze Ndigbo as its President General.

“We are not going to watch and allow some lunatics and sycophants to try to bastardise and destroy the thread that holds us together and work in opposition to the general interests of Ndigbo and of the Igbo Nation.”