Okiro says he’s highly qualified to lead Ohanaeze Ndigbo
by Hassan Muaz · The Eagle OnlineFormer Inspector General of Police, and a major contender for the office of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Sir Mike Okiro, has said he is eminently qualified for the position.
Okiro spoke ahead of the election by the general assembly slated for Friday this week.
Okiro, a former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, said though there are five contenders for the position, his leadership qualities, orientation on inclusivity and robust plans to address Ndigbo’s peculiar needs stand him out.
He expressed readiness to promote the culture, economy, security and other aspirations of the region given what the people have gone through respecting insecurity in recent years.
His words: “As a retired IGP and former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, I will harness my contacts, and collaborate with people and government throughout Nigeria to give quality leadership to Ohanaeze. I will utilize the same to address the security and socio-cultural needs of Ndigbo around the world.
“You will recall that as IGP, I played a major role in the establishment of the Amnesty programme that restored peace in the Niger Delta during the tenure of President Umaru Yar’Adua. That enabled companies to go about their businesses and propelled a major leap in oil production and the resources available to state and federal governments.
“I will collaborate with all stakeholders to bring stability to the South-East. I have the necessary education, skill, strategies, experience to mitigate the security challenges we are having in the South-East today. Go back to my history and antecedents; I have done very well in this regard.
On the issues concerning his state of origin, Okiro said the belief that he is from Imo State, is false, stating categorically that he is an indigene of Rivers State to which the position has been zoned.
He continued: “I can tell you without mincing words that I am from Rivers State. People should differentiate between Ohaji-Egbema in Imo State and Ogba/Egbema/Udoni in Rivers State. I want to say clearly that I am from Rivers State. You can check my records.
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“Even while I was in school up to university level, the records are there. Some of my schoolmates can attest to this. At the University of Ibadan, now in Oyo State, one of my mates is Andrew Uchendu, who later became a Senator of the Federal Republic.
“We met at the University of Ibadan in 1974, where we both served as executive members of the National Union of Rivers’ State Students. I was the Treasurer while Andrew was the General Secretary. Late F.J Kuruye was the chairman.”
He said his chances are very high because he has the endorsement of the Rivers Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, because the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Rivers State, Chief Lucky Ekeji and the Women leader Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Love Chimezie Meregini, have spoken generously about eligibility, as a true son of Rivers State and a proud indigene of the Egbema community.
He called on the leaders Igbo around the world to rally round him and other Igbo leaders to make this dream come through, adding that his sterling record in the police and scores of achievements in the area of security put him in good stead to work with various stakeholders to restore permanent peace to the Igboland as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
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