Imeobi of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, yesterday, adopted a 40-man electoral committee, headed by Ben Obi, for its forthcoming leadership election.
This is as President General of Ohanaeze, Nnia Nwodo, said they were in strategic discussions with allies across the country for the South East to produce president of Igbo origin in 2023.
The adoption followed hours of rancorous session, where some members, especially, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, rejected the list of the committee members, claiming they were not consulted before names from their states were chosen.
The committee, which has representatives from the seven states that made up Ohanaeze, including Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers as well as 10 other groups, was presented by the outgoing executive of Nwodo.
By Ohanaeze constitution, it is the turn of Imo State to present the next president general of the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation.
Nwodo announced the names of the committee members after explaining the process of electing Ohanaeze leadership up to his tenure.
Other members of the committee are ABC Nwosu, Cosmos Maduka, Emeka Ugwuoji of Ndigbo Lagos, Eddy Onuoha, Paddy Njoku, Obi Umahi, Anthony Agbo and Benson Ezeh.
National President of Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU), Emeka Diwe, moved a motion for adoption of the list and it was seconded by Guy Ikokwu.
Nwodo had described as unfortunate the way and manner some people were castigating him and sending out falsehood on social media that he had chosen a successor.
He, therefore, reiterated that he has no plan to do so, saying: “I have no desire to choose my successor, the Ohanaeze leadership election must be done in accordance with our constitution.”
Nwodo called for the streamlining of groups campaigning for Igbo president.
Ngige had, in rejecting the list, said there was no way he would not be consulted before a list from his state was arrived at.
He said a proper Imeobi should be constituted while no practising politician should be made to be in the list.
Okorocha, on his part, said it was wrong for anybody to say the Imo people met and decided on a consensus candidate because he was not aware of any such meeting as a former governor and a serving senator.
