Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has successfully brokered peace between the two factional leaders of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, Chief Gray Enwo-Igariwey and Dr. Ralph Obioha with the latter dropping his claim to the Office of President-General of Ohanaeze.
Dr. Obioha equally accepted Chief Enwo Igariwey as the only President-General of the Organization and also pledged to give Chief Igariwey all the needed support and cooperation to enable him succeed.
The reconciliation of the two factions, which was presided over by Okorocha, came after a very lengthy meeting between the two leaders, members of their respective executives and delegates from the states that make up Ohaneze, at the Government House Owerri.
Vanguard gathered that one of the agreements at the meeting was that the tenure of Chief Igariwey was extended by one year, and at the expiration of the one year, fresh elections would be conducted to select new leaders for the body. Similarly, all those suspended from the body while the squabble lasted, were also recalled, and all the court cases occasioned by the dispute would also be withdrawn.
“A 17-member committee that would see to the implementation of all that was agreed including the issue of election was set up with Dr. Obioha as Chairman, while the governors will produce one member each,” the communique stated.
In his speech, Governor Okorocha expressed gladness that “the Ohanaeze family is back as one,” stressing that “we have proven to the world that Igbo are their brothers’ keepers.” The governor said:
“The President of Ohanaeze will soon address the Igbo nation. All Igbo must join hands with the Ohanaeze leadership to move the Igbo nation forward. With this peace, we are going to see a new kind of support for Ohanaeze. The rest of the world will hear about the Igbo nation.
Chief Igariwey and Dr. Obioha in their respective speeches, said achieving peace in the leadership of Ohanaeze and reconciling the two factions should be celebrated by all Igbo because the division did not augur well for the august body and the interest of the Igbo in general.
