By Ugochukwu Alaribe
UMUAHIA—The Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers have faulted the ban on parallel groups by the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, insisting that the council lacks the power to take such actions.
It insisted that the constitution of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers does not empower it to ban any association from conducting its activities.
The Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers had last week, during its meeting in Umuahia, banned the South East Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum and the Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers led by Eze Everest Nnamdi Ofoegbu.
Reacting to the ban, the Ndigbo Progressive traditional rulers, in a statement, by its Chairman, Eze Everest Nnamdi Ofoegbu, explained that his group is an independent and duly registered body that spans across Igbo land and cannot be banned by the Abia State Council of traditional rulers which only operates within Abia state.
The progressive traditional rulers also disclosed that it has always conducted its operations in a manner that respects the cultural institutions of all Igbo communities and does not disrupt societal peace or cause harm to anyone.
The group tasked the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers to inform the public about where it derived its power and authority to disband a legally registered organization that operates across the Igbo-speaking states, including the South East and South-South zones.
The statement read; “Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers does not operate in parallel with the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers or any other state council in all the Igbo-speaking states where we have been carrying out our activities peacefully. Our operations and goals have always been conducted in a manner that respects the cultural institutions of all Igbo communities.
“Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers is not an arm, appendage, or a body under the control of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers. As such, it has no constitutional powers to direct or determine, let alone ban our activities. We are an independent entity working for the collective good of the Igbo people.
“Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers is a duly registered body, certified and legally registered with a membership that spans across Igbo land. It is, therefore, an overreach for an organization whose jurisdiction is limited to Abia State to assert any authority over an entity that operates legally and peacefully across multiple states.
“The constitution of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers does not empower it to ban any organization, body, or association from conducting its activities, especially when such an organization is operating lawfully.
“It is perplexing that the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, whose influence is confined to Abia State, would attempt to ban a body like Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers, whose membership and influence extend across the entire Igbo-speaking regions of the Southeast and South-South.
“We wish to remind the leadership of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers that the right to freedom of association is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution of Nigeria. As a registered and law-abiding entity, Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers has the right to operate and carry out its activities peacefully, by the laws of the federation. Any attempt to undermine our activities would amount to a violation of our fundamental rights.
“Our programs and activities do not conflict with the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers or any other traditional institution in the region. Any attempt to intimidate or bully our organization will be resisted legally, as we are committed to using the rule of law to protect our rights.”
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