In a statement signed by the President General and Secretary General, Chief Chidi Ibeh and Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group explained that
it is aware of a purported meeting of the Elders Council, holding slated for Owerri, and described the meeting as a desperation of few people to
mortgage the collective interests of Ndigbo ahead over 2023 and imposeunpopular decisions on Ndigbo under the auspices of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo noted that Iwuanyanwu lacks the capacity to convene any meeting of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders’ council, stressing that his tenure as chairman had long expired during the tenure of President General, Chief Nnia Nwodo, 2017-2021.
It also stated that Elders’ Council is an important organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and cannot be hijacked for selfish purposes by desperate politicians to negotiate for Vice Presidential slot on behalf of South East and also endorse Uzodinma’s military assaults against IPOB/ESN,
Warning that that Iwuanyanwu’s action in illegally parading himself as chairman of the Elders’ council, backed by Uzodinma, runs contrary to
the Constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
” It’s unbelievable and contradictory, that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwuand Governor Hope Uzodinma will join forces with the detractors of
Ndigbo to cause confusion and betray our people to appease theirpaymasters. According to the Constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the
President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Chairman of Elders’ Council can never come from the same state. This makes the Owerri purported meeting illegal and unacceptable to Ndigbo. Elders’ Council meeting cannot hold their inaugural meeting outside Enugu.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo disowns the purported meeting. Iwuanyanwu may be convening “Imo state Elders Council meeting, certainly not that of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. We are aware of the importance of Elders Council but we cannot allow detractors of Ndigbo to use our desperate sons to thwart the election of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023. Ndigbo should ignore such desperation of iwuanyanwu and his cohorts.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo further warned eminent Igbo sons to shun the meeting in order not to soil their integrity and reputation attending an illegal
and already compromised meeting teleguided by the detractors of Ndigbo.