By CHARLES IWUOHA

Factional Secretary-General of apex lgbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu lsiguzoro, has said that the implementation of the report by the Peace Committee of lgbo Archbishops would be a panacea to the crisis rocking the group.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been bogged down by leadership impasse leading to factionalization since January 2021.

A statement over the weekend by lsiguzoro noted that Ndigbo need a united and functional Ohanaeze at the moment to end years of quagmire.

He said: “The only antidote to ending the Ohanaeze quagmire is an immediate implementation of the report of the Peace Committee of the Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops which was equally endorsed by the Joint Body of South East Traditional Rulers Council and Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops.

“After sitting for several months and relying on the organization’s Constitution as well as memos and submissions from all interested parties, the Spiritual fathers realized that the immediate cause of the crisis was the unconstitutional removal of the then Secretary-General, Barr Uche Okwukwu.

“Constitutionally, the Secretary-General has the duty of convening all meetings of the National Executive Committee, Imeobi and General Assembly in consultation with the President-General.”.

According to the statement, the wrongful exclusion from Ohanaeze due to political differences with the former President-General, of the Secretary-General (Okwukwu), from his submission to the Bishops’ Committee, in line with the Constitution, consulted the President-General to convene meetings leading to the election of the Chief Chidi Ibeh-led Ohanaeze executive in Enugu on January 9, 2021 by the Prince Richard Ozobu election committee.

The statement noted that on January 10, 2021, the then President-General, Chief Nnia Nwodo, went ahead to conduct a factional election in Owerri without the Secretary-General, in contravention of the body’s Constitution, to produce the late Prof. George Obiozor-led executive by Chief Gary Igariwey election committee.

“At the heat of the crisis in 2021, majority of the Imeobi members and recognized affiliates stood in opposition against Late Obiozor for allowing the Imo State Government to drag him into illegalities, for their selfish political ends.

“It started that majority of imeobi members and affiliated bodies supported and endorsed the Chief Chidi Ibeh-led executive, while others chose to be neutral and sue for peace and reconciliation,” Isiguzoro said.

He explained that the bishops’ intervention was based on the pleas and petitions of Ohanaeze stakeholders, especially, the two bodies mentioned above and was predicated upon the solemn oath by both Obiozor and Ibeh factions to abide by the Bishops’ resolutions.