The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has warned against attempts to deny Rivers State its constitutional right to produce the next President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the January 2025 elections.
In a statement signed on Wednesday by its President, Nze Coleman Chukwudelunzu, the ADF labelled those undermining the Ohanaeze Constitution as the “number one enemies of the Igbo nation.”
“Whoever wants to deny our brothers in Rivers State their right to produce the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is an enemy of Ndigbo and the Igbo nation. We must resist them,” Chukwudelunzu declared, stressing the need for fairness and constitutional adherence in the apex Igbo socio-cultural group’s leadership.
Chukwudelunzu highlighted two pressing challenges faced by Ohanaeze Ndigbo: external forces interfering in Igbo affairs and internal actors prioritizing federal appointments over unity.
He alleged that powerful individuals from other ethnic groups have, in the past, influenced the selection process for Ohanaeze leadership, and criticized some Igbo governors for placing personal gains above collective interests.
“Tragically, some so-called Ohanaeze chieftains act as errand boys to governors and ministers instead of speaking truth to power as great leaders like Akanu Ibiam and Z.C. Obi once did,” he lamented.
Despite these challenges, Chukwudelunzu commended patriotic Igbo leaders within the ADF for their resilience, emphasizing the importance of Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a unifying force for progress.
Reflecting on the 1994-1995 Abuja National Constitutional Conference, he recalled the solidarity displayed by Igbo delegates, including Okogbule Wanodi, Peter Odili, and Emeka Ojukwu, in defending Igbo interests against divisive agendas like the Justice Mamman Nasir Committee’s state creation proposals.
“At that conference, Igbo delegates showcased an unbreakable bond of unity that Justice Mamman Nasir himself could not ignore,” Chukwudelunzu reminisced, urging a similar spirit of unity ahead of the January elections.
