Special to USAfrica magazine and USAfricaonline.com
“I have known Obiozor long time ago and I am confident that he will competently lead an active, mature, hardworking and viable Ohanaeze Ndigbo,” are the opening words of endorsement of former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States and Israel, Prof. George Obiozor, for the position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Those came from the former Governor of Abia State, currently the Chief Whip of the Senate, APC Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu.
Kalu added “Ohanaeze is the authentic voice of the Igbo, which has been speaking for and representing the interest of Ndigbo since its inception in 1976.” He appealed to the Ime Obi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the organisation’s highest organ, to adopt Prof. Obiozor as its “consensus” candidate. He argued in his endorsement that “It is expected to be non-partisan. Therefore, we need a leadership that can rightly define and defend the interests of the Ndigbo.”
Kalu said that he had consulted with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Governors of Enugu (Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi), Ebonyi (Dave Umahi), Anambra (Willie Obiano), Imo (Hope Uzodinnma), former Deputy Senate President (Ike Ekweremadu), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Anyim Pius Anyim), the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mrs Nkeiru Onyejeocha, former Senator Ben Obi and others.
He said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo needed a non-partisan technocrat such as Obiozor to move the Igbo agenda forward.
USAfrica magazine and USAfricaonline.com news index for November 2020 show that a group of Imo State politicians including the Governor Hope Uzodinma and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu made a pitch for Obiozor to be moved forward as “consensus” candidate from the same State.
The USAfrica news index also show there are, at least, five other aspirants from Imo State — where the presidential position has been moved to, based on a rotation stipulation of the umbrella organization.
Meanwhile, the fine art of diplomacy and assorted instruments of persuasion are being deployed by the aspirants and their supporters ahead of the January 2021 Ohaneze election. By Chido Nwangwu, founder of USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436)
