Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has confronted Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike over allegations that he sabotaged the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi and perpetrated “atrocities” against Labour Party supporters during the February 25, 2023, elections in the state.
The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Igbo, which, according to a statement by Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, its National Publicity Secretary, sent a fact-finding delegation to the Rivers Governor, also confronted Wike with allegations that he rigged the Presidential election to favour the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the disadvantage of the LP flagbearer.
Led by Dr. Kingsley Chidozie, the Vice President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Abia), the delegation, after a one-minute silence for the late Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, CON and late Chief Joel Kroham, the former President General and Deputy President General respectively, wondered “how an Ikwere man will in good conscience, work against the Igbo in a presidential race where the candidacy of Peter Obi was a low hanging fruit.”
Barr Peter Aneke, PhD was nominated to speak on behalf of the delegation, which also told Wike that the Igbo all over the world are aggrieved with him, especially as his “alleged rigging operations are circulating on the Internet.”
He was informed that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo considers it a duty to confront him over the alleged wide-spread electoral malpractices in Rivers State against Peter Obi, while expressing deep sadness that “Obi would win in the metropolitan Lagos, Abuja, and several other places in the North only to record so low in Rivers State”.
The delegation added that both the Igbo elders and youths are eager to know why Wike should go “the extra mile to pull Obi down in Rivers State.”
They expressed worries that “the body of the late Professor Obiozor would have turned in the grave because of the alleged atrocities in Rivers State,” noting that Obiozor had “set the Igbo project on a success line before his demise and would be sad in the grave that those he considered his sons turned against the Igbo interest when it mattered most.”
They also challenged the Rivers State Governor to “imagine what could have been the outcome of the election if he, Wike had supported Obi during the presidential election.”
Wike, in his response, attempted to defend his actions by saying that Ohanaeze Ndigbo did not approach him to support the Obi Presidency project.
Other Ohanaeze officials who were on the delegation include Chief Emeka Ogwu, the Vice President General (Delta); Hon Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, PhD; Chief Ezechi Chukwu, PhD; Prof Fred Eze, PhD, President, Enugu State Chapter; Mr. Lucky Ekeji, President, Rivers State Chapter; Comrade Okey Nwankwo, President, Abia State Chapter; Prince Nwandu, President, Delta State Chapter; among others. Several persons from Rivers State such as Chibudom Nwuche were also in attendance.
