A Splinter group, comprising young men, has emerged within the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohaneze Ndigbo.

The new group led by one Basil O. Onuorah announced that it had already been registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission with thetraditional ruler of Igbariam in Anambra State, Igwe Kelly N. Nzekwe, as its Board of Trustees Chairman.

But the mainstream OhanaezeNdigbo described the splinter group, known as OhanaezeNdigbo GeneralAssembly (ONGA), as embarking on the path of destabilization of the Igbo.

Igwe Nzekwe, who claimed to be one of the founders of Ohaneze Ndigbo in 1976, said in Awka at the weekend, that the mainstream socio-cultural organisationhad become a political tool in the hands of some greedy politicians.

Lamenting that the developmenthad led to lack of confidence in the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nzekwe called on the Igboto join handsto maketheir landgreat again.

He said: “I am glad to announce to the general public today(Saturday) that OhanaezeNdigbo GeneralAssemblyis now registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission with the RC NO: 144918.

“OhanaezeNdigbo GeneralAssemblyis not a factional Ohanaeze but the main Ohanaeze Ndigbo which is being restructured to exist legally as a lawful organisation,torepresent the interest of Ndigbo and be accountable to our people.

“It is now the turn of Ndigbo to produce the next President of Nigeria come 2023. All political parties in Nigeria should take note.”

However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, warnedthe groupto stop its destabilizationplot as theIgboare now moreunited than before..

It reminded members of the new group that it was fool-hardy forthemto thinkthey could lure Igbo leaders like Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, a former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, andProf BenNwabueze (SAN) from Ohanaeze Ndigboto key into their plans.

President of Ohaneze in Anambra State, Chief Damian Okeke -Ogene, who spoke for the Nnia Nwodo-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo, also said the South-East was too largefor them to deceive.

Describing the group members, who are mostly young people, as “jokers,”Okeke -Ogene, saidthey are merely beingused by some politicians to cause disaffection in Igbo land.(The Nation)