Jonathan’s N5 Billion Naira Endorsement Gift Tears Ohanaeze to Pieces

By Princewilson

Pandemonium broke out at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretariat Enugu on Tuesday during the sharing of the huge sums of money givento the Igariwey led leadership of the body for endorsing Jonathan’ssecond term. Many persons who were at the endorsement venue smiled home with some tens and hundreds of thousands o fnaira and a few got some millions of naira. Some obviously greedy beneficiaries of the Ohanaeze national cake who felt short changed in the sharing formula had revealed to members of Ohanaeze Elders Council and other Igbo leaders in Nigeria and diaspora that Jonathan released N5billion naira and their leaders hid more than eighty percent of the money for themselves while releasing pittances to them. This grumbling group within the Igariwey led Ohanaeze Ndigbo Executive claimed thatthose who cornered a lion share of what was given by Jonathan campaign group includesChief Emmanuel Iwunyanwu, Senator Hope Uzodimma, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya , Prof Goddy Uwazulikeamong others. They also fingered Chief Joe Nwaorgu and Chief O.A.U Onyema SecretaryGeneral and Deputy President General of Ohanaeze respectively, as those that gavethose pittances not commensurate with their status as leaders and youth leadersin the organization. These men are threatening to expose all the secret dealsfrom the secret Aso Villa meeting of January 12th to the events ofMonday night if they are not adequately compensated. Some Ohanaeze State Chapter Presidents from 19 northernstates complained to the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress (IMC), RevObinna Akuwe that they weredisenfranchised from the sharing process because they raised issues of securityof Igbos in the north. Their spokespersons, Zamfara and Jigawa States Chapter Presidents, claimed that they were disenfranchised in the sharingprocess and that only the FCT branch of Ohanaeze was given money.

The Presidentof Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Zamfara State, Evangelist Nmamdi Okeke while confirming thearrival of huge bags of money shared at the venue claimed that “we weredisenfranchised probably because we raised questions about the issue ofsecurity for Ndigbo in the north with sections of Ohanaeze leadership, includingpossible contingent plans to evacuate our people home in case of crisis. Ourviews probably did not get down well with some people” Evangelist Okeke vowed continuingto work with other Ohanaeze leaders especially in the north to ensure thatIgbos are not brutalized. He expressed gratitude to the Minister of Defense,General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) for his support to the Igbo community in the NorthWest.

Rev Igwesi Offodile, Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo JigawaState Chapter also told Rev Akukwe that “ the security of Ndigbo in the north before, during and after theelections is very important and if Ohanaeze cannot make adequate contingencyplans then it is very unfortunate”. Chief Akunne Azikiwe, son of Nigeria’s first President and Owelle ofOnitsha, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe while speaking with Rev Akukwe on the subject mattersaid that “ collecting of billions form Jonathan without any negotiation is notgood for Ndigbo.

Jonathan is our neighbor, we cannot abandon him but this issueof sharing money is not beneficial to our psyche, ”. On the calls for thepostponement of the elections, Akunne Azikiwe lent support positing that” verysoon the announcement postponing the polls will be made by six weeks or sowhich is a good development. This willgive Ndigbo and other tribes’ time to diffuse tension in Nigeria and return toissue based campaign” Rev Akukwe was told by some leaders of Igbo Delegates Association(IDA) that they were given N20 million naira to be sharedamong the 19 Northern States and described as unfortunate the fate that befellOhanaeze State Chapters in the North who were still stranded in Enugu as atpress time.

They believe that the 19 northern states failed to comply with thedirective to give Goodluck Jonathan maximum support; hence they weredisenfranchised from the sharing process. They described Igariwey as the first OhanaezePresident to receive money and share same to the grassroots in such proportion,pledging undying support for him. The Chairman of Ohanaeze Elders council and first republictransport minister Chief Mbazulike Amechihad on Thursday told Rev Akukwe that those sharing money are not the real Ohanaeze. According to him, those sharing the money are “a group of illegalOhanaeze whose major purpose is to collect and share billions of naira withoutany negotiation over the fate of Ndigbo during and after the Jonathan era”.Chief Amaechi told the leaders of Igbo Mandate Congress that those that went toAbuja to meet with Jonathan are speaking for themselves and their family.According to him “The basic interest of those endorsing Jonathan is to collectmoney.

They were sharing millions and hundreds of thousands on Tuesday to somepersons and we the Elders Council of Ohanaeze are not a part of it. Somepersons even got their finger bitten off while some women got their dressestorn while struggling for the money from Abuja. That is not what Ohanaezestands for” Ohanaeze Elders Council hadrejected the endorsement of President Jonathan and had asked Igbos to voteeither Buhari or Jonathan as their conscience permits them.Dr Zed Chukwujama, Secretary Ohanaeze Caretaker Committeeexpressed worry over the fate of Igbos in the north after the elections and toldRev Akukwe “that those who are sharing the millions are not thinking of how toprotect Igbo lives and property especially in the North”.

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gari Igariweyin a press conference on Friday denied receiving N5billion naira to endorse Jonathan.Igariwey reportedly told newsmen that “Whatis happening in Ohanaeze is purely money.

Certain persons want to negotiate onbehalf of Ndigbo for 2015 general elections not necessarily for Igbos interestbut solely for their selfish interest,” Igariwey described the insinuationsthat Jonathan gave them N5 billion naira as baseless and while asking Igbos to vote the incumbent positedthat it is only Jonathan that willimplement the National Conference Report.

FROM KROCCITYONTV