No reconciliation in Ohanaeze Ndigbo —Enugu members

Enugu—Ohanaeze leaders in Enugu State have described as “nonsensical” reports that the Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has brokered peace between the two factional leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gray Enwo-Igariwey and Dr. Ralph Obioha with the latter dropping his claim to the leadership of the umbrella association of all Igbo socio-cultural unions. Some of the leaders who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that the problems in Ohanaeze Ndigbo were fundamental and beyond both Enwo- Igariwey and Obioha. Apart from this, they said that Igariwey had served out his term even as the position was rotatory between the five states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu and other Igbo speaking areas of Delta among others, According to them, Igariwey was now like a king without a kingdom as it was the turn of Enugu State to produce the new chairman of the pan- Igbo union. A former minister who spoke on the issue said: “Okorocha is not serious about the issue. The problem in Ohanaeze is fundamental. Igariwey is from Ebonyi State. He has served out his term and it is now our (Enugu) turn to produce the chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. “In what capacity did Okorocha negotiate with Igariwey. He is like a bishop without a cathedral. Dr Obioha has no claims to the leadership of Ohanaeze, so what type of factional chairman was he? Please, don’t mind Governor Okorocha, who sacked 3,000 workers claiming that someone asked him to do as a way of testing the waters for what he planned to do.” The Public Affairs Officer of Nsukka Zonal Union, NZU, which is affiliated to Ohanaeze, Chief Patrick Ukwueze who spoke on the issue dismissed the reconciliation meeting, saying that both Okorocha, Igariwey and Izuogu wanted cheap publicity. “Izuogu has no claims to the Office of President-General of Ohanaeze. Although Ohanaeze is a vehicle that takes nobody anywhere, the truth has to be told. The problems in Ohanaeze are not about the two personalities who were said to have been reconciled. The problems are beyond Okorocha, Igariwey and Izuogu. “Again, it is the turn of Enugu State to produce the next president-general of the association. Nobody extended his tenure by one year, as Okorocha alone does not constitute Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Igariwey should not destroy a group which brought him to the limelight overnight,” Ukwueze said.