Igboayaka not part of our leadership, Ohanaeze replies Ugochinyere

The Youth Wing of Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has urged the lawmaker representing Ideator Federal Constituency at the National Assembly Abuja, Hon Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, to stop addressing one Mr Igboayaka as one of the leaders of the apex body in Nigeria.

They also urged the lawmaker to expeditiously withdraw the purported petition against the Ebonyi State Governor, Hon Francis Nwifuru, for supporting the arrest of Igboayaka by the Ebonyi State Police Command for using the Ohanaeze Ndigbo name to raise a false alarm on insecurity in the state, which was read on the floor of the National Assembly by him (Ugochinyere).

They further urged the lawmaker to desist from supporting such illegality and criminality using his revered position as a member of the hallowed green chamber of the National Assembly.

The reply was contained in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Monday, by the National Publicity Secretary of the organisation (Youth Wing), Mazi Chika Art Adiele.

According to the statement, the petition which Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere claimed emanated from the Ohanaeze Youth Council, is nothing but a concocted tissue of fallacy and criminality on the basis of impersonation.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is one indivisible body, under the leadership of Distinguished Senator John Azuta Mbata as President General and Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu as Ag. National Youth Leader and President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Anambra State Chapter.

“It is on record that the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation and her leadership has, in several fora, both private and public, admonished Igboayaka to desist from this criminal impersonation of using the name ‘OHANAEZE NDIGBO’ as a tool to defraud the public and cause confusion to unsuspecting Nigerians, thereby causing an identity crisis for ‘OHANAEZE NDIGBO WORLDWIDE’.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Igboayaka’s reckless and criminal activities have continued to cause significant damage to the image of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and indeed Ndigbo at large.

“We are aware that he was arrested last month by the Ebonyi State Command of the Nigerian Police over some serious and sensitive allegations, including but not limited to impersonation.

“Regrettably, we admonish Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere Imo to expeditiously withdraw such a petition as presented on the floor of the green chambers and further desist from supporting such illegality and criminality using his revered position as a member of the hallowed Green Chamber of the National Assembly.

“We also call on the leadership of the South East Caucus of the House of Representatives, ably led by Hon Iduma Igariwey Enwo and other revered members of this caucus, to call Hon Ikenga Imo to order.

“Therefore, as the apex Igbo Youths body, it is in our collective interest to speak with one voice and we will not hesitate to unleash the long arm of the law against any individual or group of individuals parading themselves or using Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a tool for economic merchandising.

“Lastly, we implore all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard Hon Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere over his mischievous attempt to hoodwink the public in a bid to whip up negative emotions against Gov Francis Nwifuru, who is currently busy delivering the dividends of democracy to the good people of Ebonyi State.

“We commend the Ebonyi State Command of the Nigerian Police for rising to the occasion and taking responsibility for the overall security and stability in Ebonyi State and the South East region at large,” the statement concluded.

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