IN spite of the announcement of a parallel election committee, the Ohanaeze 2021 general elections will begin today across the seven-Igbo speaking states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta, Imo and Rivers.
According to the Chief Enwo Igariwey election committee raised by the Ime-Obi led by out-going President-General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the local government and state polls will be held today and tomorrow (January 5 and 6) while the national polls will take place on January 9 and 10.
The parallel election committee led by Prince Richard Ozobu, which was set up by embattled Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Uche Okwukwu, fixed the local council elections for January 8 and 9, to be followed by state polls and thereafter the national.
A member of the Nwodo-led Imeobi, Chief Guy Ikokwu, told Vanguard that the elections are on course as planned and that non of the president-general aspirants has stepped down as speculated in some quarters.
”Election for offices zoned to the local governments and states will be on January 5 and 6. The national offices like president-general, Secretary-general, etc will be on January 9 and 10 in Owerri,” he said.
On the parallel election committee, Ikokwu blamed some All Progressives Congress, APC leaders in the South-East for the development. According to him, ”they have enlisted the former Secretary-General, Uche Okwukwu of Rivers now an APC leader, who was removed by the Imeobi for unconstitutional actions. They want to disrupt the AGM at Imo.”
Those aspiring for the president-general position are Professor George Obiozor, Professor Chidi Osuagwu, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, Chief Chris Asoluka, Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, Ukachukwu Awuzie, and Nnaemeka Obiaraeri.
One of those aspiring for the secretary-generalship is Chief Kalu Onuma, former administrative secretary of Ndigbo Lagos.
A host of the aspirants have opposed the emergence of Professor Obiozor as consensus candidate following his adoption by some Imo stakeholders led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
They have insisted on going the whole hog