The apex -Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo has no presidential candidate of any political party is banned from coming to Southeast.
The group denied that those behind such insinuation are not members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, adding that the body is not in support of such utterances.
One of the leaders in Southeast, Nze Modestus Umenzekwe, told The Nation Friday on phone that such utterances should be condemned in its totality.
Ohanaeze National Vice President (Southeast), Ichie Damian Okeke -Ogene, said as a socio cultural organization, they were for everyone.
He said they were not politicians and do not delve into it, adding that every presidential candidate would get the blessings of Ohanaeze, if they sought for it.
He said: ” Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of APC, Mr Peter Obi of LP, Alhaji Atiku Abubarka of PDP and others are our sons and respected leaders in Nigeria and any of them are free to come to Igbo land to campaign without any interference .
“It is wrong for anyone or group to pronounce that they are banned to enter their father’s land. Such statement is unfair and should be condemned.”
Okeke -Ogene said the national body of the Igbo group had not and would never instruct any of it’s members to issue such statement, adding that who ever did so was on his or her own and did not represent Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Another Igbo leader, Umenzekwe, said such divisive utterances should be avoided by persons or groups.
He said Nigeria was for everybody, adding that every presidential candidate for the 2023 election was free to visit all the six geo-political zones in the country.
“No sound mind can make such statement against the finest Nigeria leaders. Those presidential candidates are well respected and therefore, have every right to visit any State or zone in the country,” Umenzekwe said. Continue Reading
