Crisis rocks Ohanaeze as faction leaders Expels Diri’s Aide, Two Others …Nullifies Bayelsa Commissioner’s Chieftaincy Title

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Bayelsa State Chapter, has announced the expulsion of three members from the community for allegedly conferring a chieftaincy title, ‘Enyi Ndigbo’, on the state Commissioner for Education, Hon. Gentle Emelah.

Those expelled are the Special Assistant on Special Duties to Governor Douye Diri, Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Remigius Ekwem and Patrick Ugwu.

The group also declared the chieftaincy title awarded to Hon. Emelah as a nullity and should not be recognized because the conferment violated the process outlined in the Igbo community’s constitution.

President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa State and Special Adviser to the Governor on Non-Indigenes, Johnson Onuma, who announced the sanctions in Yenagoa said the decisions were taken at their stakeholders’ meeting on July 14.

According to him, the meeting “resolved that Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Chief Remigius Ekwem, Mr Patrick Emeka Ugwu and others have been totally excommunicated from Igbo community activities in the state.”

Onuma, who stated this after a general meeting of the Igbo group on Sunday, said the education commissioner had duly communicated the resolutions and advised him to disregard the chieftaincy title he received from expelled members as it did not follow due process.

He said that the general meeting, in a communique signed by 28 Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders, affirmed the stakeholders’ resolutions, stressing that the Igbo community in Bayelsa was not in crisis and there is only one legitimate leadership.

Onuma, while reading the communique, said, “The Title (Enyi Ndigbo) and award given to Hon. Dr Gentle Emelah is null and void, and therefore, he should not cavalcade the said Title and Award by the above-named impersonators as Ndigbo is doing everything within the ambit of the law to bring them to order.

“That, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Chief Remigius Ekwem and other disgruntled eIements are not representing Ndigbo in the State and that anybody who falls in love with their relationship and wishes to do business with them, should do it on a personal ground and not in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Bayelsa State.

“That anybody who does business with them in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Bayelsa state will be considered as an enemy of the community and one who is fueling crises in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Bayelsa State, hence the community will contend with the said individual or group of individuals. That Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa State is not in crises.”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo leader thanked Governor Diri-led administration for responding quickly to security problems affecting the Igbo community and expressed support for the government’s effort to ensure peaceful co-existence across the state.

In his reaction, the affected governor’s aide, Arthur-Ugwa, described his expulsion as “fake and rubbish”, saying it was a witch-hunt.

The factional leaders of the apex Igbo Group in Bayelsa, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has suspended the Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State on Non-Indigenes Affairs, Mr Onuma Johnson, and two other leaders of the group for what they described as anti-Igbo activities.

According to a factional leader of Ohanaeze, Bayelsa State chapter, Chief Remigius Ekwem, said the suspension of the trio from the activities of the group was part of the decision by stakeholders and leaders to ensure that the interests of Igbos in Bayelsa State are well protected.

Speaking with NAIJA LIVE TV, on Wednesday, in Yenagoa, Ekwem maintained that there is only one recognized Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa State and the eight local government branches.

He listed other suspended leaders of the group to include Chief Ernest Uzoefunam (Chairman Igwe in Council), and Chief Wilfred Iyeanagoro (state patron).

He alleged that the suspended leaders took sides in the crisis rocking Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide in the state instead of making peace.

But, reacting to his suspension, the President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa State and Special Adviser to the Governor on Non-Indigenes, Johnson Onuma, said executive members of the body lacked the power to suspend a fellow executive member.

“It is the general assembly who voted the people into leadership position that can suspend after following the constitutional process,” he said.

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