Jude Nzennaya (Port Harcourt)
As battle to occupy political offices in Rivers State and indeed across Nigeria for the next political dispensation of the country’s democracy thickens, the United Igbo Community (UIC), Rivers and
Bayelsa States in collaboration with Ohaneze Ndigbo, a socio-political umbrella of the Igbos in Rivers State have come to say that they have not endorsed any politician for the forthcoming general elections in Rivers State.
This clarification was made Saturday the 29th day of January 2022, in a joint press briefing of United Igbo Community (UIC) and Ohaneze Ndigbo in Port Harcourt, to debunk claims by some people they referred to as unknown group led by one Chief Uchenna Okokoba, who announced recently that the Igbos have endorsed the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Sen Magnus Abe, as sole choice of Ndigbo in the March 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Rivers State.
First to speak was President General of United Igbo Community (UIC), Rivers and Bayelsa States, Evang, Comrade Julius Uchenna Uzoma, who was categorical that the Igbos have not endorsed any candidate, either Magnus Abe or anybody in the forthcoming general elections in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
“We are here today to speak as Ndigbo in Rivers State. Everybody here is a leader in different capacities. Igbos have no division in Rivers State. The Igbo students’ leaders will be held accountable for any breach in the tertiary institutions,
“We are here to refute the purported endorsement of Sen Magnus Abe of SDP as sole governorship candidate in Rivers State by an unknown group who claimed to be speaking for the Igbos. The student leaders were cajoled to an event, where the fluke endorsement was allegedly made.
“I say unequivocally that the Igbo nation in Rivers State has not endorsed any candidate for the purpose of 2023 general elections,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other Igbo student leaders, HRH, Ike Obinna George, Igwe of Rivers State University corroborated the position of the United Igbo Community (UIC) President General, Comrade Julius Uzoma, stressing that “at no time did they inform us that they were going to endorse Abe.
“We met with Abe that day and made it clear to him that we have to meet with our leaders for the purpose of endorsing anybody. We agree that endorsement can come, but it has to be discussed and agreed upon before any of such thing,” George posited.
On his own, the Rivers State Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Lucky Ekeji said his group disowns in its entirety the so-called endorsement of Magnus Abe by an unknown group that claimed to be Igbo leaders.
”Therefore such endorsement stands null and void. The endorsers have no occupation, so they are looking for crumbs and peanuts to eat. They don’t represent the Igbos. Rivers people and authorities should be wary of such faceless group that go about misrepresenting the Igbos,” Chief Ekeji fumed.
Other personalities that spoke include, His Imperial Majesty, Eze Engr. Samm Nwokolo, Eze Jiofor
Ndigbo who denounced the purported endorsement.
“I stand here to say that Ndigbo have not endorsed anybody. The purported endorsement is false,
scandalous and does not represent Igbo People’s position in Rivers and Bayelsa States,” Nwokolo asserted.
In a canta reaction contained in a press statement signed by His Royal Majesty, Eze Stanhope Okeorji, Chairman; Board of Trustees, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; coordinator, Chief Dr O. Z. Uba; deputy coordinator and Mr Felix Onwuma, spokesperson, the group condemned what it called a paid and unwarranted broadcast on Wazobia 94.1 FM, Port Harcourt, over the choice of the SDP governorship hopeful
Ndi-Igbo residents in Rivers State have condemned what they call derogatory comments against the association over the endorsement of Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, a frontline governorship aspirant of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State. In a radio report credited to Mr Julius Uzoma, Engr. Sam Nwokolo and Mr Lucky Ekeji reported that the endorsement of Senator Abe by the group did not represent the choice of Ndi-Igbo in Rivers State.
The group described Comrade Julius Uzoma and his cohorts as attention seekers who want to distract Ndi-Igbo in the political roadmap of Rivers state. The statement further challenged Uzoma and his associates to an on-air debate.
“We challenge Mr Uzoma and his associates to an open debate on air where the spokespersons will have an open discussion on which group is the authentic leader of Ndị-Ịgbo in Rivers State.
“We are the authentic and known leaders of Ndi-Igbo in Rivers State”, the group said.
The leadership of the Igbo Community in the state explained that the body has always been at the forefront of affairs relating to its members, including enlightening Ndi-Igbo politically in the Rivers State.
It noted that ahead of the forthcoming elections, the body has done several sensitization campaigns using radio jingles to remind its members of the need to collect their permanent voter’s card (PVC), and reaffirmed the authenticity of its leadership of Ndi-Igbo in Rivers State.
