Ignore, resist sit at home orders; Vote massively, Ohanaeze, South East traditional rulers urge electorate
By Alex Enebeli/Stanley Nwanosike
Enugu, Feb. 18, 2023
The Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has again, urged the people of the South East geo-political zone of the country to resist sit-at-home order by any group during the forthcoming election.
This is as the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers (SECTR) has urged the people of the zone and all residents of the South-East to ignore any sit-at-home orders and massively go out to vote for their preferred candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo made their call in a communique issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia at the end of the emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC), on Friday in Enugu.
The meeting was presided over by the Secretary General of the group, Amb. Okey Emuchay.
Ogbonnia said the NEC elaborated on issues of national interest and reached some major resolutions.
According to him, the most worrisome among the issues discussed was the sit-at-home and total lockdown order to the Igbo by Simon Ekpa, who is based in Finland.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo express shock and doubt that a true Igbo would unconscionably embark on a disingenuous duplicitous adventure aimed at denigrating, disenfranchising and decimating his people.
“The most disturbing is that the unscrupulous sit at home and total lock down order by Ekpa falls within the Nigerian general election.
“Ohanaeze stands firmly on natural justice and equity to proclaim that it is the turn of the South East of Nigeria to produce a president for Nigeria and by the irrevocable forces of providence.
“The right thinking Nigerians and the global community have embraced the virtues in Peter Obi as the most suitable, competent, visionary, inspiring and energetic presidential candidate for the forthcoming general election.
“It is therefore strange that at the very rare consensus and convergence of history, equity, public consciousness and expertise in Obi, an impetuous youth will engage in an unreflective drum-beat that draws his people to a macabre dance,” he said.
The publicity secretary said Ohanaeze was also curious that while the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful had dissociated IPOB from any sit-at-home in the South-East during the election period, Ekpa was taking a different posture.
“We are urging residents to disregard the rumoured order making the rounds by the Simon Ekpa” and that “IPOB is only interested in the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu”.
The group lauded the interventions with the Finish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen by Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.
Others are the Igbo Union in Finland, the general public, especially the Youths and the reassurances of President Muhammadu Buhari with respect to security and a free and fair election in 2023.
The NEC used the opportunity to pass a vote of confidence on Emuchay as Secretary General of Ohanaeze and its National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, for their selfless services for the Igbo nation.
The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that the women from the South East had on Feb. 15 called on Ekpa to leave the people alone and urged everyone to resist the sit at home order.
Meanwhile, the SECTR, in a communiqué issued on Friday at the end of their first Executive Committee Meeting for 2023, said that their meeting, which deliberated on the role of the traditional institution in ensuring peace and security in the South-East, particularly in the run up to the General Elections, “called on the people of the South-East to go out en masse to vote for their preferred candidates during the elections and ignore any order for sit-at-home.
At the meeting, held at the Old Eastern Nigeria House of Chiefs, Enugu, the Council also “appealed to the security agencies to create a conducive and safe environment for the General Elections; while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act professionally and patriotically.
“Third, the killings and destruction of property in South Eastern Region and across the country are condemned in strong terms by the Council.
“Fourth, the Council called on all Traditional Rulers to take control of their various domains during the upcoming elections for peaceful, free and credible elections to take place,” it said.
The communiqué was signed by Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman of Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers as well as Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha and Chairman of Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers.
It was also signed by Eze Joseph Nwabeke, the Ezeamara of Eziama Ntigha, and Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The meeting was attended by the revered Royal Fathers and other members of the Executive Committee of the Council.
