Obi: Ohanaeze not consulting deities against Soludo

Apex Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has denied social media reports that it was attempting to drag Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo to deities over his diatribe against the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

The group however said that Obi has fulfilled all the expectations of Ndigbo to participate in the 2023 Presidential elections.

The publication circulating in the media had said that “Ndigbo have dragged Governor Soludo to the two famous divinities and deities, Chokoneze in Mbaise, Imo State and Ubiniukpabi in Arochuku for his unreasonable public behaviour.”

It added the “sanctions against Soludo to face Igbo deities will serve as a deterrent to Southeast politicians, who have been hired by enemies of Ndigbo and Nigerians to derail the Obi’s Presidency in 2023”.

In a statement in Enugu by the spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbonnia, the group described the publication as bizarre and reckless.

Ogbonnia said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, would have ignored the release, but silence in this circumstance would tend to give validity to “such a fallacy by the unsuspecting public.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has never contemplated consultation with deities in seeking solutions for the Igbo dilemma. The Igbo are profoundly endowed in various ways least of which is a resort to deities.

“It needs to be added that on November 15, 2022, the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo held a meeting presided over by Obiozor”.

He said the issue of the place of the Igbo in 2023 was elaborately discussed,and quoted Obiozor to have stated: “Having traversed the length and breadth of the country on an advocacy mission for the emergence of a President of Nigeria from the South East zone in the 2023 general elections. We expected a positive outcome but the two major political parties, APC and PDP rejected with impunity and impudence the practice and convention of the last twenty years of rotation and zoning of office of the President”.

Obiozor added: “Yet, we must keep asking the rest of Nigerians, ‘what do they really want to do with Ndigbo? The decision will be theirs and the response will be ours.

“The emergence of Mr. Peter Obi as of today has fulfilled all the expectations of Ndigbo to participate in the 2023 Presidential elections which include winning the primaries of the party and being nominated as the Presidential candidate of the party. This is the advice given to all Igbo contestants in the 2023 Presidential election which is appropriate by virtue of justice, equity and fairness.

“The whole country knows this to be the truth and the whole world knows this to be the fact, all of them are watching events in Nigeria either with trepidation or doubt.

“The situation in the country today offers Ndigbo the opportunity to relaunch themselves in all socio-political dimensions.”