2025 Ohanaeze Election - A Success Story By Emeka Ugwu- Oju

On Friday, 10th January 2025, the long awaited National General Assembly and the Election of a new set of  National Officers for Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the widely accepted umbrella socio-cultural-economic-non partisan political  organisation of the Igbo Nation, held at the Old Government Lodge,Abakaliki Road,Enugu, with the Governors of Abia, Anambra, Enugu,and Imo States, physically present. The Governor of Ebonyi State was represented by the Chief of Staff to the Governor. The Governor of Rivers State, whose State according to the current rotation guideline in the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution is expected to produce the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, was jointly represented by the State Commissioner for Transport and the State Commissioner for Special Duties. Also in attendance at the General Assembly were: National Officers of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (2021-2025),some members of the Council of Elders and Imeobi, Representatives of Affiliate Groups, elected State delegates, Members of the Election 2025 Committee, and members of the Press. Noticeably absent were Chairmen of the 5 South East States Council of Traditional Rulers, and most of the high ranking religious leaders in the South East of Igbo extraction.

Following the strong opposition by some contestants and some members of Imeobi Ohanaeze to the conduct and outcome of the Ohanaeze 2021 Election held in Owerri, Imo State, and coupled with the lateness in announcing the Guidelines and the setting up of the Ohanaeze 2025 Election Committee, many Ndigbo were very worried that there might be a repeat of the 2021 Ohanaeze Election debacle.  To add to the anxiety was a wrong impression being created amongst the public that Rivers State may be denied the opportunity to produce the candidate for the post of President General. The candidacy of the retired Inspector General of Police,  Chief Mike Okiro further heightened the anxiety as it rightly or wrongly added to the wrong impression being created that Rivers State will be denied the chance to produce the President General of Ohanaeze as some people had claimed that Chief Okiro is not from Rivers State. Three of the candidates who indicated interest in vying for the position of President General jointly addressed a Press Conference in Port Harcourt and categorically stated that Chief Okiro was an indigene of Imo State as according to them, he hails from a border community straddling Imo State and Rivers State,  and that his village is located in the Imo State side of the border. A case is also  believed to have been instituted in a court in Enugu State which prevented Chief Okiro from being screened by the Election Committee, thereby making him ineligible to be a contestant in the 2025 Ohanaeze Election. 

To the the glory of God, the 2025 Ohanaeze Ndigbo Election finally held without rancour and any noticeable opposition of the outcome by the General Assembly, not minding the strange pronouncements that two erstwhile contestants for the post of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Jackson Omenazu and Barrister Uche Okwukwu, have been variously elected President General in two different and strange General Assemblies which  supposedly held in Port Harcourt. Judging  from the feedback from majority of Ndigbo, the 2025 Ohanaeze Ndigbo Election could rightly be considered hugely successful and a new beginning in the right direction. 

However, from our observations and interactions with many  Stakeholders,there were a few lapses which could have been avoided, two of which are: (i) The non invitation of some members of Imeobi and Council of Elders to the National General Assembly and Election 2025. For example, an active member of Imeobi Ohanaeze who has also assisted the organisation significantly, HE, Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Governor of Imo State whom we reached to ascertain why he didn't attend the General Assembly claimed that no invitation to attend was sent to him by the Ohanaeze Secretariat. Same feedback from the various States Council of Traditional Rulers,  and the Committee of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops. (ii) The consensus procedure of electing the State Vice President General for Enugu State and Delta State. In the case of Enugu State, many of the Enugu State Stakeholders contacted wondered how a candidate who was deemed ineffectual by many as the Ohanaeze State Chairman(2021-2025), could become the consensus candidate for Enugu State for the higher position of Vice President General. For Delta State, Prof Echefuna Onyebeadi,a candidate who vied  for the position of Vice President General,and paid the relevant fees required to be a candidate,  created a minor scene at the General Assembly when he wondered aloud how a consensus was arrived when himself as a candidate was not consulted.In the case of Chief Tony Idigbe,SAN, a leading legal luminary in Nigeria, a former Secretary General of Ndigbo Lagos, a very active member of Aka Ikenga, the Igbo Think Tank,and a very popular candidate for the post of Vice President General, his not being the elected consensus candidate for Delta State left many Stakeholders in Delta State and beyond scratching their heads in disbelief.

For the overall success of the National General Assembly and Election 2025,  credit must go to whom it is due:

Firstly, the  number one credit in our view goes to,  Nze Ozichukwu Fidelis Chukwu, the immediate past President General of Ohanaeze, who was nominated by Imo State Ohanaeze barely a few weeks to the end of the Ohanaeze National Officers(2021-2025) tenure, to complete the tenure of Imo State as President General which became vacant as a result of the demise of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Aha eji agamba, who became the President General after the unfortunate death of Prof George Obiozor, the elected President General in the controversial 2021 election in Owerri. 

Many people wondered what magic he could perform in such a short period,but it now appears that God wanted to use him to lay a solid foundation for a New and Strong Ohanaeze. Nze Chukwu immediately after his coming to office started reaching out to many groups and stakeholders dissatisfied with Ohanaeze. He used the opportunity provided in the constitution of the 2025 Election Committee to rebuild confidence in the electoral process. Most importantly,  he earned the confidence of members of Anya-Ndi-Igbo, an umbrella organisation of some key Igbo Organisations that was founded by some concerned members of Imeobi Ohanaeze to champion reforms in Ohanaeze after the 2021 Election,  through his hard  work ethic and ability to consult widely before taking decisions.  For example,  knowing that I was an active member of Anya-Ndi-Igbo, he invited me  to have breakfast with him a day before the election, and as we were having breakfast,  Chief Enwo Igariwey, a past President General of Ohanaeze who was the Chairman of the 2021 Ohanaeze joined us and three of us discussed the importance of unity in Ohanaeze and the adherence to due process and respect for the Ohanaeze Constitution. Personally,  I am wondering how different and more united Ohanaeze would have been if Nze Ozichukwu Fidelis Chukwu was the one elected President General in 2021.

Secondly, credit to the the five State Governors of the South East, for the first time working together for a better Ohanaeze leadership m, and also consulting with Stakeholders in their various States to have a consensus on who should represent the States in the National Officers instead of the usual imposition of candidates which leads to resentment of Ohanaeze leadership by many well meaning Ndigbo. Of special mention are the Governors of Enugu State and Abia State.  Dr. Peter Mbah, the Governor of Enugu,  who worked very hard to provide an enabling environment and safe venue for the Ohanaeze General Assembly and 2025 Election,  and Dr. Alex Ottih, Governor of Abia State,  who put in a lot of effort to ensure that Governor of Rivers State provided an enabling environment for the conduct of the Rivers State Ohanaeze State Congress and election of delegates, and most importantly a peaceful selection of a consensus candidate for the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General election in Enugu. We hope that this togetherness exhibited by the 5 State Governors will be immediately put to good use in the implementation of a Regional Security architecture for the South East, instead of the present stand alone  State architecture.

Thirdly, Credit goes to the impromptu Master of Ceremony,  Professor Osita Ogbu, Chairman of the Alaigbo Stabilisation Fund(ASF) Steering Committee, and a member of the Election 2025 Committee, whose deft and diplomatic handling of proceedings prevented a possible descent to chaos during the National Election with particular reference to the election of a Vice President General from Delta State. 

May I now use this opportunity on behalf of the Board of Trustees,  South East-South South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN) to congratulate the newly elected National Officers of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (2025-2029) under the capable leadership of the President General, Senator Azuta Mbata. Although my personal attendance was not under the auspices of SESSPN, I have the backing of my fellow BOT members to wish all of you a successful stay in office,  which with the support of the Igbo Nation will bring back the desired unity and sustainable development of Ala Igbo.

For many Ndigbo who may not have had any personal contact with our new President General,  Senator Azuta Mbata, I will boldly say that he is a humble man of honor and integrity, who is proud of his Igboness. I have known him for 25 years and I will just use one example to illustrate his dependability as a friend.

In 2001, about 24 years ago,  I was facilitating an event hosted by an Igbo progressive organisation,  known as Igbo National Council (INC), which was founded during the Abacha Years, whose Grand Patron was the late NADECO Leader, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (Ugwumba ). This event which took place at the Presidential Hotel, Enugu on 12th May, 2021, with the then Senate President,  Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,  represented by his Chief of Staff, Barrister Steve Ahaneku, as the Keynote Speaker, was a Grand Reception to honor some deserving Ndigbo and Enyi Ndigbo. 

At very short notice,  I invited  Senator Mbata as my Special Guest and  without minding the inconvenience he gave his commitment to attend from Abuja to share the joy of the occasion with the honorees which included his late Ikwerre brother, Dr. Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe even though he wasn't an honoree. Lo and behold, on the day of the event, Senator Azuta Mbata was the only serving Igbo Senator physically present.  

The late Dr. Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, then an Executive Director at Guaranty Trust Bank , a proud Ikwerre son, and one of the honorees , was also physically present at the Reception to receive his plaque as one of the leading Igbo Professionals in the Banking Sector.  I believe that if Dr Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe,CFR was still alive to witness the election of Senator Azuta Mbata as the President General of Ohanaeze,  he would be a very happy man. May his kind and gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace.

On a final note,  I will want to use this opportunity to thank  my friends in the struggle for a better Ohanaeze Ndigbo  and also thank  my 2021-2025 “enemies” in the struggle mostly from Imo State,- no hard feelings, and also to inform all of you about my withdrawal from active participation in Ohanaeze Ndigbo affairs for the foreseeable future. I will still be available to offer my advice when required and also make my financial contribution to support a reinvigorated and a more inclusive Ohanaeze.  This decision which was taken after  due consideration is to enable me to focus more on my new project  - Global Africa Young Entrepreneurs Network, GAYEN.

Oga Adili Igbo Mma !!!