Ohanaeze Ndigbo Presidency: Dim Okwukwu Pledges Unity Amid Controversy Over Rivers Candidature
By Bon Peters
PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: Dim Uchechukwu Nnam Okwukwu, a candidate for the position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the forthcoming election, has vowed to foster unity among Igbos if elected. The election is scheduled to hold on January 10, 2025, but controversy has erupted over the inclusion of former Inspector General of Police, Chief Mike Okiro, as a candidate representing Rivers State.
Okwukwu, who made this pledge during a press conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, described the secrecy surrounding the election venue as a security measure. He lamented the existential challenges facing the Igbo people, emphasizing the need for bold and visionary leadership to address insecurity, economic stagnation, and social disunity.
A former Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and a member of the Ime-Obi leadership council, Okwukwu highlighted his extensive contributions to the Igbo cause. He urged delegates to vote with their conscience, promising to leverage his experience to reposition the socio-cultural group and tackle insecurity in the Southeast.
Speaking on the zoning arrangement, Okwukwu asserted that the position of President-General is specifically reserved for Igbo indigenes of Rivers State. He questioned the legitimacy of Chief Mike Okiro’s candidacy, alleging that Okiro hails from Egbema in Imo State, not Rivers.
“This zoning is an opportunity for Rivers Igbos to demonstrate their leadership capacity and work towards the development of the Southeast region, which has suffered from insecurity, kidnappings, and economic stagnation,” Okwukwu stated.
He outlined his vision for collaboration with other ethnic groups in Rivers State to strengthen the political and social aspirations of the region, noting that Igbos constitute a significant demographic in local government areas such as Obigbo, Omuma, Etche, Ikwerre, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, among others.
Okwukwu further disclosed that over 200 delegates, including representatives from each of the Southeast states, Rivers, and Delta, are expected to participate in the election. He promised transparency, regional development, and the establishment of a Sovereign Trust Fud managed independently of the Ohanaeze executive to support development initiatives.
However, the election process faces a boycott threat from other Rivers State contestants, including Chief Fyneface Amechi and Chief Jackson Omenazu. Speaking at a separate press conference, they condemned Okiro’s inclusion as a Rivers candidate, insisting that only indigenes of Rivers should be eligible for the position.
“Anyone or any organization dealing with Chief Mike Okiro as a Rivers candidate will be considered an enemy of the indigenous people of Rivers State,” they declared, reiterating their decision to shun any election activity that involves Okiro.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Chief Mike Okiro were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to him went unanswered at the time of filing this report.
