Ndigbo Leadership Crisis Deepens

The leadership crisis rock
ing the apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, deepened yesterday as members of the Elders Council, EC, and other leaders drawn from the South East, Anioma and Rivers State set up a 19-member caretaker committee to run the affairs of the organisation.
Although there was claims of a subsisting court order obtained by the Chief Gary Igariwey-led executive of prohibiting the meeting and creation of any third party interests in the national executive of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Chief Mbazulike Amechi- led EC and others unanimously resolved that the caretaker committee would become operative from January 7, 2015.
Justice R.O Odugu of the Enugu High Court had on Friday granted an interim order restraining Chief Amaechi, his agents and others from “making further public statements, media publications or announcements and from further parading themselves either as chairman or executive of Ohanaeze Committee pending the determination of the case.
He fixed for December 29, further hearing on the matter.
But the EC and leaders of thought which met at a hotel in Enugu, mandated the 19 member caretaker committee “to conduct election into the executive position of OhanaezeNdigbo strictly adopting the constitutional guidelines established for the spread of those positions among the five states of the southeast, Anioma and River State”.
The committee was also mandated to appoint among others, a professional accounting body to audit the account of the OhanaezeNdigbo.
Although the meeting could not appoint any headship for the 19 member committee, it resolved that the five states of the southeast, Anioma and River state would contribute to its membership and urged the state chapters to recommend names to it within the next one week.
At the meeting were Chief Ralph Obioha, Presidential candidate of the United Peoples Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, former Anambra State governor, Dr Chris Ngige, Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN), Prof Ukwu I Ukwu, His Royal Highness Laz Ekwueme, Senator Offia Nwali, Dr Jumbo Offor, Dr Zed Chukwujama, Chief Nduka Eya, and Prof Elo Amuchezi, among others.