Ngige Rejects Ohanaeze Electoral Committee List

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has
rejected the 40-man electoral committee adopted for the forthcoming
election of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership.

The former Governor of Anambra State dismissed the list
announced on Sunday by the Ohaneze President General, Chief John
Nnia Nwodo, as “being full of active practicing politicians who are
card-carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

Recall that some Chieftains of the Ohaneze Ndigbo had kicked
against the alleged selection of Ambassador George Obiozor, saying
that his choice has political backing by the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC.

A statement by the media office of Senator Ngige on Monday in
Abuja, described the list as a product of non-inclusive process,
overtly partisan and incapable of delivering an election that will
be credible and acceptable to all.

According to him, “ The non-consultation of all critical
stakeholders in the composition of the nominees from different
states weakens its credibility and may jeopardize integrity of the
electoral outcome.

“In Anambra State for instance, key stakeholders were not all
consulted leading to a skewed process that threw up politicians,
who were leaders in the campaign organization of a presidential
candidate in 2019 general elections and who has made no disguise of
his intention to re-contest.

“ I was for example not consulted just like some other critical
stakeholders in the selection process as a former Governor and
Senator from Anambra who has been making immense contributions to
reposition the Ohanaeze Ndigbo since 1991 .

“I am due and qualified as a former Governor, former Senator and
a sitting two-time minister, to be consulted during the selection
process of members of the electoral committee from Anambra
State.

“Apart from the offices I held in the past and the one that I am
holding today, I have remained a prominent player in Igbo affairs;
leading Aka Ikenga as President from 1991 to 1997 and serving as a
member of Imeobi from 1992 as President of Aka Ikenga and till
date, having been a Governor of Anambra State. So, I deserve to be
consulted before any decision is taken in Ohanaeze.

“Go through the list and see the same politicians who
transversed the country with presidential candidates, canvassing
for votes .

We hitherto complained of their misbehaviour and today, they are
being empaneled to conduct election for Ohanaeze.

“This is clearly a job for those without political party
affiliation. There are so many whose qualification fall into such
categorization and good enough for the job,” Ngige said.

“For the fact that I and other critical stakeholders were not
consulted, the list did not pass the crucible of proper selection
and should therefore be rejigged and a proper consultation of
Imeobi done before the inauguration of members.

“Any persons with serious political affiliations to any of the
political parties-major or minor-should be severed out of the list
and replaced with non-partisan Ohaaneze stalwarts.”

Ngige, who earlier raised this objection at the Imeobi meeting
on Sunday, blamed the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief
John Nnia Nwodo for allegedly allowing political party
card-carrying members, who are conspicuously associated with known
Presidential aspirants and big party actors to make the list of the
electoral committee to select a new leadership for the apex Igbo
organisation in all the states and the national .

Ngige however, agreed with the resolution at the Imeobi meeting
that elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu mediate between his
position and Chief Nnia Nwodo over the grey areas in the list
within the shortest possible time.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has
rejected the 40-man electoral committee adopted for the forthcoming
election of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership.

The former Governor of Anambra State dismissed the list
announced on Sunday by the Ohaneze President General, Chief John
Nnia Nwodo, as “being full of active practicing politicians who are
card-carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

Recall that some Chieftains of the Ohaneze Ndigbo had kicked
against the alleged selection of Ambassador George Obiozor, saying
that his choice has political backing by the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC.

A statement by the media office of Senator Ngige on Monday in
Abuja, described the list as a product of non-inclusive process,
overtly partisan and incapable of delivering an election that will
be credible and acceptable to all.

According to him, “ The non-consultation of all critical
stakeholders in the composition of the nominees from different
states weakens its credibility and may jeopardize integrity of the
electoral outcome.

“In Anambra State for instance, key stakeholders were not all
consulted leading to a skewed process that threw up politicians,
who were leaders in the campaign organization of a presidential
candidate in 2019 general elections and who has made no disguise of
his intention to re-contest.

“ I was for example not consulted just like some other critical
stakeholders in the selection process as a former Governor and
Senator from Anambra who has been making immense contributions to
reposition the Ohanaeze Ndigbo since 1991 .

“I am due and qualified as a former Governor, former Senator and
a sitting two-time minister, to be consulted during the selection
process of members of the electoral committee from Anambra
State.

“Apart from the offices I held in the past and the one that I am
holding today, I have remained a prominent player in Igbo affairs;
leading Aka Ikenga as President from 1991 to 1997 and serving as a
member of Imeobi from 1992 as President of Aka Ikenga and till
date, having been a Governor of Anambra State. So, I deserve to be
consulted before any decision is taken in Ohanaeze.

“Go through the list and see the same politicians who
transversed the country with presidential candidates, canvassing
for votes .

We hitherto complained of their misbehaviour and today, they are
being empaneled to conduct election for Ohanaeze.

“This is clearly a job for those without political party
affiliation. There are so many whose qualification fall into such
categorization and good enough for the job,” Ngige said.

“For the fact that I and other critical stakeholders were not
consulted, the list did not pass the crucible of proper selection
and should therefore be rejigged and a proper consultation of
Imeobi done before the inauguration of members.

“Any persons with serious political affiliations to any of the
political parties-major or minor-should be severed out of the list
and replaced with non-partisan Ohaaneze stalwarts.”

Ngige, who earlier raised this objection at the Imeobi meeting
on Sunday, blamed the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief
John Nnia Nwodo for allegedly allowing political party
card-carrying members, who are conspicuously associated with known
Presidential aspirants and big party actors to make the list of the
electoral committee to select a new leadership for the apex Igbo
organisation in all the states and the national .

Ngige however, agreed with the resolution at the Imeobi meeting
that elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu mediate between his
position and Chief Nnia Nwodo over the grey areas in the list
within the shortest possible time.