A renowned activist lawyer, Dim Uche Nnam Okwukwu, has emerged as President General of Ohanaeze N'digbo Worldwide at the organization's convention in Port-Harcourt.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide General Assembly, according to a statement by the returning officer, Dr Achi Achi, a copy of which was made available to journalists, said the new President General, Okwukwu, was returned unopposed to the convention, which began on Thursday and will Expect it to end on Friday.
The returning officer said the President General, Okwukwu, was elected by the progressive movement in Igboland, and expressed gratitude to the national delegates who stormed Port Harcourt for the exercise, even as he noted that they were the real members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for finding the worthy helmsman. .
He said the new leader had pledged to defend the interests of every Igbo under the sun and uphold the principles of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide constitution.
Okwukwu, in his acceptance speech, thanked the delegates and said he humbly accepted the enormous responsibility placed upon him to lead the Igbo race “at this time in our history.”
The newly elected President General said his top priorities included engaging the Federal Government in the unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the restructuring of Nigeria.
He further promised to “bridge the fractured nerves and unite the Igbo as one indivisible family,” saying he was fully aware of the unprecedented trust reposed in him and his ability to do so.
This was just as he solemnly promised to defend the Igbo nation by living up to their high expectations, adding: “I will live up to your high expectations.”
He thanked all members of the Electoral Committee, elders, members of the press and the Igbo public, men, women and youth for all their joint efforts that helped achieve these positive results.
The newly elected President General, while noting that the Igbo nation had gone through unprecedented difficulties, assured that he would waste no time in engaging the federal and state governments, Igbo businessmen, politicians, youths and intellectuals to address the problems faced by it. the igbo nation. .
He said he would meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to work for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and other political prisoners, and ensure the decriminalization of political exiles to allow them to return home to join the reconstruction process.
“We will encourage the federal and state governments to engage all agitators to address the grievances to bring about fair closure to the issues,” Okwukwu said.
Furthermore, the newly elected President General said he would also engage the Federal Government in dredging, modernization and restoration of Igweocha/Port-Harcourt and other coastal ports for Igbo/East and others, along with dredging from Azumini to Opobo. Imo River Basin to the coast, with the aim of recreating an export-import industrialization and development hub in Igboland/East, up to the Middle Belt and Maiduguri.
“I will work for the creation of Anioma State as an equalization state for the Igbo, and for other states of Aba, Adada, Etiti, Orlu or others in case the balance is further disturbed,” he said.
On the restructuring, Okwukwu promised to mobilize the Igbo to make it happen, which he said all other ethnic nationalities had templates ready, but no recent Ohanaeze leadership had had the courage to address it.
“I will work hand in hand with critical Igbo stakeholders to promote the unity of the Igbo nation and ensure that the Igbo communities in Benue, Edo, etc., are fully incorporated into the membership of the Ohanaeze family and modernize the Igbo language as one of the main languages. of global trade, culture, science and technology,” he stated.
Okwukwu, it was learnt, emerged as the consensus candidate after being identified as the only independent contestant among more than four aspirants seeking to lead the Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
The election, which was attended by several people, was held in Port-Harcourt, with the presence of delegates from the South East and the Diaspora, while more than 200 social and cultural groups were also present at the historic event.