Ohanaeze Rejects Biafra, Supports Restructure

  Written by Tim Elombah

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rejected the deafening clamour for a Sovereign State of Biafra and threw its weight behind calls for a restructured Nigeria.

Ohanaeze made its stand known on Saturday in a communique arising from the meeting of South East governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and selected Igbo leaders of thought on the state of the nation.

The meeting was held at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, 1st July 2017.

The communique of the meeting was presented by Engr. David Nweze Umahi, the Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of South East Governors Forum

At the end of the meeting of the above enumerated categories of Igbo leadership, the following resolutions were adopted:

1. That Ndigbo are in support of a united Nigeria where peace, love, fairness, justice, equity and equality of opportunity are paramount regardless of creed, ethnicity, gender or political affiliation.

2. That we condemn all hate speeches and conducts emanating from any segment of Nigeria.

3. That Igbo leaders lend their full support to the restructuring of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of fairness and equity. 

We therefore call on the Federal Government and all Nigerian leaders to commence a process of dialogue among Nigerians on the modalities of achieving this pressing question within a reasonable time frame.

4. That Ndigbo support the report of the National Conference of 2014 and urge the Federal Government to set up structures that will enable the implementation of same within a reasonable time.

5. That the South East Governors, members of the National Assembly from South East and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo should henceforth constitute the official organs that will speak on behalf of Ndigbo on political matters.

6. That the South East leaders in consultation with leaders from other parts of the country will engage the Federal Government on all areas of concerns to Ndigbo and to Nigeria as a whole.