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2023: Igbo have cried enough, give us Presidency- Uzodimma, Iwuanyanwu, others
A cross-section of Igbo leaders, yesterday, said the Igbo have cried enough in their quest to produce Nigeria’s President of Igbo extraction in the 2023 general elections.
The leaders spoke separately during the reception in honour of the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Professor George Obiozor, organised by Governor Hope Uzodimma, at the Government House, Owerri.
According to Uzodimma: “I am worried that while the Igbo have an unassailable case over their post-civil war treatment and plight in the Nigerian federal project, the logic of that case may be compromised by the temperamental actions of non-state actors, to the peril of everyone.
“This is why I think that the time has come for every patriotic Nigerian to rise and address the Igbo question. What cannot be taken away is that for too long, the Igbo have cried out profusely over their plight.
“This plight is comparable to the plight of the southwest over the annulment of the June 12 elections. Following that annulment, the southwest felt short-changed. They cried out for justice. While some groups did so responsibly, others resorted to violence. The instructive thing here is that at a point, the patriotic zeal of the political class in Nigeria was touched and they rose in unison to acknowledge that the Yoruba had cried enough and that it was time to wipe their tears.
“That was why the two major political parties in Nigeria fielded only Yoruba candidates for the 1999 presidential election. Of course, even a political neophyte knew that this was not accidental, but a well-planned act by a group of patriots who had placed the unity of Nigeria uppermost in their minds.
“It is now obvious from every indication that Ndigbo have also cried enough about their marginalization. It should also be clear to the political class that the time has come to wipe these historical tears of Ndigbo. What is more, most of the patriots who engineered the plan that made the southwest produce the presidential candidates for the two major political parties in 1999 are still alive and active in politics.
“That same undying love for the country that inspired them to do what they did for the southwest in 1999 should inspire them to do the same for the southeast in 2023. The West, the North, the East and the South are all important in our quest for national unity.
“This is a clarion call on the political class to do the needful. As the saying goes, E mee nwata etu emere ibe ya, obi adi ya nma” This simply means, that the only way to make a child happy is to treat him or her the same way you treated the other child,” Uzodimma said.
Other political leaders who spoke briefly were a former military governor of old Imo State, Ike Nwachukwu who said: “We know Uzodimma is loved by the Igbo people and that is why he is celebrating the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, George Obiozor, Obiozor.
“It is for this reason that we supported Obiozor to be the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo especially now that we are talking about the presidency of Nigeria. Let us send Obiozor to go and tell Nigerians that what we want is President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction.”
The Chairman of Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuayanwu said: “We want to thank Uzodimma. This is the fourth time Uzodimma called us to talk about the future of the Igbo. We came here to honour Obiozor and at the same time to know where we are going politically.
“Any group in Igboland that have agenda of how to develop Igboland should come and register with Ohanaeze. Any Igbo man that is not hungry for this Igbo presidency is a fool. I chaired a committee on this issue. South-south, South West and other regions have all agreed that the South-East should produce the presidency including the Middle Belt. We are seriously on this issue of Igbo presidency.”
Also, the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, said: “We have said that Igbo will rule Nigeria. We have agreed to pursue it, but in doing that, we must give peace a chance in Igboland. We must stop killing our brothers and sisters. We must make peace and create opportunity for our youths. We need peace harmony and reconciliation.”
Speaking at the event,the immediate past President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, warned the PDP not to ignore the call to zone the presidency to the South.
He said: “I want to say this as the PDP said they don’t respect zoning that is in their constitution. I want to tell them to forget the votes from the southeast. I want Obiozor to call a meeting of Imeobi so that the Igbo can finally decide on the Igbo presidency.”
In his remark, the First Republic Minister, Mbazuluike Amechi called on the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. “I have pleaded with Buhari to hand over Nnamdi Kanu to me so we can control all these things happening in Igboland. If Buhari hands over to me Kanu, we will control all these things. I told you that God has a purpose of keeping me alive. I have the key, give me Kanu.”
Other dignitaries who attended the occasion, were two former Senate Presidents, Pius Anyim and Adolphus Wabara; former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim; former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Gary Igariwey; among other leaders across the South East region.
In a related development, a statesman, Richard Ozobu has urged Ndigbo to reach out to other zones for support to enable them achieve Igbo Presidency.
Ozobu also reaffirmed his unalloyed support for the realisation of Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.
Uzobu who made this while briefing pressmen at his country home in Enugu, said that Ndigbo have qualified candidates that would deliver good leadership and as well be trusted to save Nigeria from economic quagmire.
While insisting that it is the turn of Ndigbo to produce the next President of Nigeria as other zones had taken share of power, he urged for justice, equity and fairness to support South East region.
“Nigeria needs someone that has the capacity to restore the economy and give good leadership and the Igbo is the answer. We should get the right people into politics. Ndigbo have business ideas and they have done well in businesses across the world. Their business skills will help in economic recovery. Nigeria should give Ndigbo opportunity to recover the economy with their business skill.
“But no tribe in Nigeria can win election without alliance. So, South East needs alliance with other zones to win the presidency. No zone can do it alone and it has to be on trust. North was able to achieve it because of their alliance with South West,” Ozobu said.
Vanguard
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.
The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.
However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.
He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.
A Professor of Economics and Governance, Prof. Chiwuike Uba, has called on South African Government to take active responsibility of protecting foreigner and desist from ‘compromising inaction’.
Uba, Chairman of the ACUF Initiative for Policy and Governance, made the call on Thursday in Enugu in a statement he titled: “South Africa Is Playing with Fire, and Its Elites Are Holding the Match”.
He said that the lack of intentional action against the individuals and groups perpetrate the xenophobic attacks, who are non-state actors, raises serious questions under international law.
The don noted that “protection of non-nationals is a clear obligation, not a discretionary act.”
According to him, persistent failure to uphold this responsibility undermines both legal commitments and diplomatic credibility.
Uba said that the implications of the development extend far beyond South Africa, adding that it would have economically, politically and diplomatically consequences both to the country and Africa in general.
He noted that economically, the country is not just another market.
“It is a continental anchor. Its financial systems, industrial base, and regional linkages make it central to African growth.
“Prolonged instability would ripple outward, constraining trade, deterring investment, and weakening regional integration,” he said.
On the Political aspect, he said that South Africa had long been seen as a model of democratic transition and constitutionalism.
“If that model begins to fracture, it sends a powerful signal across the continent.
“It emboldens those who argue that institutional democracy cannot deliver, and it weakens reformist voices elsewhere,” he said.
Uba said that diplomatically, xenophobic violence is not a domestic issue when it targets foreign nationals.
He said, “It is an international concern that tests regional solidarity and diplomatic patience.
“Each episode forces other African governments to respond, balancing domestic outrage with the need to preserve bilateral relations.”
The don noted that over time, the balance in the country would becomes harder to maintain as non-state actors would be emboldened to perpetrate other unlawful acts as they view the government as weak or inactive.
The Apex sociocultural youth organization of the Igbo race worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has described the current arrest made by the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offence (ICPC) against former Minister of Science and Technology and the 2027 People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Enugu State, Hon. Uche Nnaji, regarding his certificate, as a deliberate political witch-hunt orchestrated by the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Gov. Peter Mbah.
In a press address in Enugu on Wednesday, 8th July 2026, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), called on Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to maintain the commission’s ethical standards, threatening to seek his removal if evidence confirms the alleged bias of ICPC in favor of Governor Peter Mbah against Hon. Uche Nnaji regarding the 2027 Guber election.
*The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) revealed that the fight against Hon. Uche Nnaji is a battle for the Enugu Governorship and the “Lions Building Seat” in 2027, and dismissed the certificate forgery allegations against Uche Nnaji as a political distraction and blackmail.*
The surreptitious entry into the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to obtain a court order detaining Hon Uche Nnaji is a teleguided executive overreach attributed to Gov Peter Mbah apparently aimed at silencing Hon Uche Nnaji, which is highly censurable.
The Council stated that “A court of competent jurisdiction is presently handling the unsubstantiated certificate forgery case, and the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Hon Uche Nnaji have opted for an out-of-court settlement, following recent findings of misinformation.
Therefore, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), should maintain a neutral stance regarding the Enugu State Governorship battle to preserve his reputation built through his legal career and public service, and avoid being perceived as succumbing to Governor Peter Mbah’s alleged attempts to utilize executive power to blackmail and witch-hunt Hon. Uche Nnaji.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council(OYC) warned Governor Peter Mbah to concentrate on fulfilling his unfulfilled campaign promises to Enugu State rather than chasing Hon Uche Nnaji through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)
Families displaced by the recent fire outbreak in the Asata area of Enugu have received immediate relief from the Enugu State Government following the intervention of Governor Peter Mbah, who directed that palliative support be provided to ease their suffering.
Chairman of the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA), Chinasa Mbah, disclosed that the agency promptly delivered the relief materials in compliance with the governor’s directive.
“We have given them some palliative as directed by His Excellency. Our report has equally gone in, and we await further instructions,” Mbah said.
She explained that ESEMA has completed its assessment of the incident and submitted its recommendations to the state government, adding that additional assistance for the affected families will depend on the governor’s approval of the agency’s report.
The swift response underscores Governor Mbah’s commitment to standing with citizens in times of distress. The victims, whose homes and belongings were destroyed in the fire that gutted two flats in a two-storey building on Church Road, Asata, are expected to receive further support as the government considers ESEMA’s recommendations.
The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has defended the inclusion of projects outside its statutory mandate in the 2026 budget, insisting they are National Assembly constituency projects assigned to the commission for implementation.
However, the explanation has done little to quell public scrutiny, with critics questioning why a commission established to tackle the Almajiri system and out-of-school children—challenges largely concentrated in Northern Nigeria—is overseeing projects reportedly located in parts of the South-West.
The controversy has also been fuelled by concerns over the scale of the allocations, as the value of the disputed constituency projects is said to far exceed the funds earmarked for the commission’s core education programmes.
Responding to the criticism in a statement issued on Monday, the commission’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Nura Muhammad, said the projects were included in the 2026 Appropriation Act under the long-standing practice of assigning constituency projects to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for execution.
According to the commission, once such projects are approved in the federal budget and allocated to an agency, they become part of its implementation responsibilities.
“As part of a duly enacted federal budget, every project assigned to the commission forms part of its implementation responsibilities and will be executed in strict compliance with extant laws, financial regulations and due procurement processes,” the statement said.
NCAOOSCE maintained that the inclusion of the projects does not alter its statutory mandate, stressing that it remains focused on addressing the Almajiri system and reducing the number of out-of-school children across Nigeria.
The commission cited its achievements, including the profiling of more than 700,000 out-of-school children, the establishment of 119 learning centres, ward-to-ward advocacy campaigns, and the implementation of the National Policy on Almajiri Education, as evidence of its commitment to its core responsibilities.
This version attributes the concerns to critics and public scrutiny rather than stating them as established facts.
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