APC blames fire at Ohaneze Ndigbo secretariat on Jonathan’s re-election bid

premiumtimesng.com

The All Progressive Congress, APC, has alleged that there is a correlation between the refusal of Ohaneze Ndigbo to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid and fire at the association’s secretariat.

The South East zone of the APC made the allegation in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu.

“…the secretariat has never been attacked; until the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo refused bluntly to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for re-election,” Mr. Okechukwu said.

The party commended the stance of the top Igbo socio-cultural group, and asked the police to investigate the cause of the fire.

Read the full statement below.

The South East All Progressives Congress, APC, calls on the Inspector General of Police to as a matter of urgent national importance institute a high powered probe panel to investigate the master minds behind the fire incident which nearly burnt down the National Secretariat of Ohaneze Ndigbo.

To us, the Ohaneze Ndigbo’s secretariat reminds us of a common bond heritage and symbol of the Igbo nation, located at Park Avenue, Enugu, capital of Eastern region; hence we frown at such sacrilegious act.

Sir, it may interest you to know that the secretariat has never been attacked; until the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo refused bluntly to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for re-election.

Since November 2014, intense pressure has been mounted on the leadership of Ohaneze led by Gary Enwo Igariwey, to endorse Mr President, which they resisted in the collective interest of Ndigbo.

Bizarre events which followed the rational decision of Ohaneze Ndigbo to reject the endorsement of President Jonathan, in what we dub a non-partisan posture, were legion.

One of these bizarre events is the factionalization of Ohaneze Ndigbo, a once cohesive, dynamic and the mouth piece of Ndigbo.

Secondly, was the double speak of the splinter Igbo Leaders of Thought led by Professor Ben Nwabueze, which tongue-in-cheek said, “We are fully aware that Jonathan’s administration has not seriously addressed the core promises and commitments made to Ndigbo during the 2011 election campaign. In spite of this, it is in the best interest of our people that he be re-elected.”

We hold dear to the old age epigram that the core ingredient of election in liberal democracy is the referendum on the performance of the incumbent; therefore to latch on the flimsy religious sentiment of Isalmization of Nigeria cannot hold water.

Accordingly, we do not think Ndigbo or indeed Nigerians have the leisure to reward a president who failed to fix the East-Road, 2nd Niger Bridge, Mambilla Power Plant, Enugu Coal, the 3 Greenfield Refineries awarded at a whopping cost of $23 billion and who out of unbridled corruption crashed the Naira.

We are at a loss how our elder statesmen of the so called Igbo Leaders of Thought
want a president that eminent Igbo sons and daughters – Charles Soludo, Ejike Mbaka, Alex Ekwueme, Ken Nnamani, Oby Ezekwesili, and host of others, including their good selves, awarded F9, to repeat a life time class squandered.

In sum, it will be of interest if the IGP uses his good offices to fish out the hoodlums who burnt the Ohaneze Ndigbo secretariat before more harm is done.

Osita Okechukwu
Spokesman South East APC