The Igbo World Assembly (IWA) has said after reviewing and assessing the pre-election issues and the electoral irregularities, that it has rejected the just concluded Ohanaeze Ndigbo election outcomes.
This is even as the group has called for a caretaker committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for about three months to ensure unity of Ndigbo and also to conduct credible, free and fair election that would follow due process.
The body also expressed disappointment by what it termed the failure of Ohanaeze to conduct elections that promoted Igbo unity, progress and development.
IWA after a worldwide meeting held recently in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Christian Onuorah, Vice Chairman and Oliver Nwankwor, Secretary General, said it critically reviewed, assessed and analysed the issues and circumstances that led to the elections of disunity in Ohanaeze Ndigbo in particular and Igbo nation in general.
“ It is our solemn duty to Ndiigbo to communicate and share our findings which serve as the basis of our decision and which will guide our future actions.”
Speaking on the elections irregularities, IWA noted that Prince Okwukwu’s faction of Ohanaeze, election was held in secrecy without any transparency.
Similarly, speaking on Chief Nnia Nwodo’s faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s election, IWA said that option-4 method was used during the election, but noted that the process that led to option 4 was undermined and completely manipulated.
In accordance with the constitution, election guidelines, according to IWA were not issued to all the contestants at least seven days before the election day resulting to several credible candidates withdrawing from the elections to avoid giving legitimacy to a flawed election.
According to the statement, the group stated that they will neither recognize nor associate with any of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo parallel executives produced by flawed and unconstitutional elections.
According to the statement, IWA aligned with other patriotic Igbo Organisations under the auspices of Global Igbo Leaders that first advised Ohanaeze to follow Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution and the Electoral guidelines to the letter.
“When that was not possible IWA, under the Global Igbo Leaders recommended that a properly constituted Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee be established to run the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo for about three months beginning the 10th of January 2021 to ensure the unity of Ndiigbo.”
IWA recalled that concerned Ime Obi Ohanaeze members had equally called for caretaker Committee to be set up but the immediate past President General Chief Nnia Nwodo and the immediate past Secretary Prince Uche Okwukwu ignored those calls for unity.