Three presidential aspirants from Rivers State contesting for the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General position, set for January 2025, have united in calling for the disqualification of former Inspector General of Police, Chief Mike Okiro, from the race. The aspirants Omenazu Jackson, Fyneface Amechi, and Dim Uchechukwu Okwukwu held a press conference in Port Harcourt, voicing their concerns over the integrity of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Okiro’s candidacy.
They argue that Okiro, who hails from Obiakpu Community in Imo State, should not contest for a position that is zoned to Rivers State. The aspirants expressed dissatisfaction over what they perceive as an attempt to sideline Rivers State candidates by allowing someone from outside the state to contest. They highlighted that Okiro’s background is rooted in Imo State, citing his lineage and familial ties to the community in Egbema, Imo State.
Despite receiving an endorsement from Chief Lucky Ekeji, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Rivers State, the aspirants maintain that Okiro’s bid is not in line with the zoning arrangement, which they believe should honor Rivers State candidates exclusively. They further questioned how Okiro could claim Rivers State as his origin while his family ties are deeply entrenched in Imo State.
The aspirants are calling on Ohanaeze Ndigbo to maintain its integrity and preserve the principles of fairness by upholding the zoning arrangement, which they say is essential to avoid reputational harm to the respected Igbo cultural organization. They have vowed to resist any attempt to circumvent the process and urged the group to stand firm on its commitment to the Rivers people.