The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has reiterated its stance that Rivers State will produce the next President General, PG, of the organisation come January 10-11, 2025.
This decision is rooted in the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution, which guarantees Rivers State’s right to the leadership role.
In a statement released on Tuesday by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, the organisation strongly warned against attempts by two Southeast governors and certain political leaders to disrupt this constitutional process.
Isiguzoro emphasised that any efforts to bypass Rivers State’s right to the presidency will be met with strong resistance from Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Ohanaeze expressed gratitude to the Igbo people globally for their participation in the 2024 Igbo Day celebrations, held on September 29.
The event underscored the importance of adhering to the organization’s constitution, which explicitly mandates that Rivers State should produce the next President General in 2025.
The statement from Isiguzoro stressed the critical need to preserve the unity of the Igbo nation by following the constitutional process, noting that any disruption could have long-lasting negative effects on the identity and cohesion of the Igbo people.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo revealed that two Southeast governors, in collaboration with a former Nigerian Head of State from the Southwest and a prominent opposition figure from the 2023 presidential elections, are allegedly working to transfer the presidency to Abia State.
This coalition, along with external entities such as the Pan Niger Delta organization, is seen as a calculated attempt to undermine the Igbo identity and maintain divisions dating back to the Biafra War.
The organisation pointed out that these political maneuvers are driven by ambitions related to the 2027 elections, aiming to exploit the situation for personal gain at the expense of Igbo unity.
Ohanaeze reaffirmed that the emergence of a President General from Rivers State is non-negotiable and must be respected.
The organization condemned attempts to sponsor fake groups denying their Igbo heritage, calling it a ploy to discredit the Rivers State candidacy.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders Forum, led by Prince Dr. Richard Ozobu, alongside Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, reiterated that they will uphold the constitutional rights of Rivers State, ensuring the process is free from external influence.
In the face of these challenges, Ohanaeze called upon all Igbo communities and organizations to stand united against both internal and external forces attempting to manipulate the situation.
The organization stressed that the Igbo people are too sophisticated to be deceived by the political agendas of a few individuals, urging solidarity in defense of the Rivers State candidacy.
