Ex-IGP withdraws from Ohanaeze presidential race, gives reason

The election of a new president-general of the socio-cultural organisation is billed to take place on Friday in Enugu.

A former Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, has announced his withdrawal from the race for the position of the president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Mr Okiro announced this during a press briefing in Enugu on Thursday night.

The election of a new president-general of the socio-cultural organisation is billed to take place on Friday in Enugu.

The Ohanaeze leadership had zoned the position to Rivers State in compliance with an arrangement which supports rotation of the position across the seven Igbo-speaking states of South-east and South-south.

The former IGP was born in Oguta in Imo State but hails from Egbema in Rivers State.

Egbema Communities are spread across the Imo and Rivers States.

Why I withdrew from the race —- Okiro

The Enugu State High Court recently barred Ohanaeze Ndigbo from fielding the former IGP as a contestant in the election of its president-general.

The court issued the order in response to a motion filed by Chimenu Amadi on behalf of the Indigenous Igbos of Rivers State.

Mr Amadi had asked the court to restrain Mr Okiro from contesting the position on the ground that he is an indigene of Imo state, while the position has been zoned to Rivers State.

At the press briefing, Mr Okiro said that his withdrawal was in compliance with the court order, which restrained him from contesting the position based on controversy regarding his state of origin.

“As an Igbo man and elder statesman of Rivers State extraction, whose position has been zoned to by the electoral committee, I believe in the rule of law and shall respect the court’s order,” he said.

The former police chief stressed that he remains an indigene of Rivers State, and he decided to obey the court order to show his belief in and commitment to the rule of law and democracy.

“I will not participate in any election pending the final determination of the matter pending before Hon Justice N.R. Oji of Enugu State High Court which court gave the restraining order,” he said.

Mr Okiro argued that the reliefs granted in the court order against him undermine his fundamental human rights guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“I have instructed the Chambers of Eze Okafor & Co, my lawyers, to pursue the case to its logical conclusion to ensure that the purveyors of hate and lawlessness are brought to book in line with our enabling laws,” he stated.

“As provided by our constitution, I demand to be heard, and I am sure that the court will ensure that the twin pillars of natural justice will be observed to the latter in handling the case. We have not lost hope in our judicial system.”

He urged the indigenes of his Egbema Community, the entire Igbo-speaking people of Rivers State and South-eastern states supporting his candidacy, to stand by the rule of law throughout the contest.

Zoning principle in Ohanaeze

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the position of president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo rotates among seven Igbo-speaking states in South-east and South-south Nigeria.

The South-east has five states, namely, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Abia and Imo, while the South-south region has two states which are Rivers and Delta States.

Each state is to produce the president-general of Ohanaeze, who will serve for a single tenure of four years, according to an existing zoning arrangement of the Igbo group.

A state that does not complete its tenure due to the death or resignation of the incumbent president-general is permitted to nominate another person to complete such tenure, subject to ratification by the Imeobi Ohanaeze.

A former National Vice-Chairperson of the Peoples Democratic Party in South-east, Fidelis Chukwu, emerged president-general of the Igbo group in December to complete the tenure of Imo State.

His emergence as the Ohanaeze leader followed the deaths of former President-Generals of the group, George Obiozor and Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, between 2022 and 2024.

Mr Iwuanyanwu took over after the death of his predecessor, Mr Obiozor.

Messrs Obiozor and Iwuanyanwu were all serving the tenure of the state, which will now elapse on 10 January under Mr Chukwu.

Rivers State is expected to produce the next President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on 10 January, which is in line with the existing zoning arrangement of the Igbo group.