Four of the five candidates seeking to succeed Chief John Nnia Nwodo as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, unfolded their agenda for the Igbo Nation just as they kicked against the emergence of Professor George Obiozor as the Imo consensus candidate for the position.
The quartet – Professor Chidi Osuagwu, Dr Chris Asoluka, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, and Chief Goddy Uwazurike – spoke at an interactive session between the people and the president- general candidates organized by the Coalition of Igbo Organisations led by Mr. Ngozi Odumuko.
Former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Professor George Obiozor, who was recently endorsed by Imo stakeholders as the consensus candidate, did not participate. The session held via zoom, which started at 4 pm and lasted for over three hours had no fewer than 200 participants across the world. It is meant to ensure that the best candidate succeeds Chief Nwodo on January 10, 2021, Mr Odumuko and his team said.
The candidates were asked questions on their profile; what they would do for Ndigbo if elected; their definition of who an Igbo is; agenda for the socio-economic development of Igboland; tackling insecurity; and making Igboland an investment destination among others.
Each of the candidates had lofty plans to make Igboland secure so as to attract investments as well as measures that would entrench Igbo unity. Collectively, their plans include boosting and funding local security arrangements like the vigilantes and adopting the Amotekun network being implemented in the South-West.
On the emergence of Professor Obiozor as consensus candidate, the four candidates, in unison, shouted a resounding no. Submitting themselves to the current efforts of Ohanaeze through the Ime-Obi, which last Sunday raised a 40-man election committee for the poll, they said the adoption of Obiozor as consensus candidate ran foul of the Ohanaeze constitution.
Specifically, Dr Asoluka said the Ohanaeze Constitution does not recognize consensus candidate. According to him, Section 11(b) says at least three candidates should stand for the election. Besides, Asoluka said when Obiozor was adopted by a section of Imo leaders, the election committee had not been set, there was no election guideline.
“What they did was to put the cart before the horse. There is no consensus candidate.”
The trio of Uwazurike, Osuagwu and Nwaorgu spoke in like manner. Going by the rotation formula of Ohanaeze, it is the turn of Imo State to produce the President-General. All the five candidates hail from Imo. (Vanguard)
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