A group, the Association of Public Policy Analysis, has advised the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to stop smoking disunity, but rather channel efforts towards the economic and political emancipation of the people of South-east.
National President of the association, Comrade Princewill Okorie, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri, expressed dismay at a statement credited to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in which it warned that there would be consequences if the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC manipulate the results of the presidential election in the South East.
Okorie said that such untoward statement should not come from a group like Ohanaeze, especially at a period like this when the election had been held and results already known.
According to him, instead of fanning embers of disunity, “Ohanaeze should lead a paradigm shift in the political and economic development of South-east zone with specific focus of challenging elected National Assembly members, governors, House of Assembly members and local government chairmen to deploy the resources allocated to them to reduce poverty and suffering of Igbo people.
The association said that the voting pattern in the last presidential and National Assembly election reflected the wishes of the different zones and as such “emphasis on election and their outcome in Igboland without efforts being made to ensure that those who occupy elective political positions in the zone to use their positions and opportunities that come with it to develop Igboland is not proper,”
Okoye added, “rather than plan protests and negative consequences over the results of the present election, Ohanaeze Ndigbo should set up a team to set agenda for elected representatives in this current election to ensure that they deploy resources whichever will be appropriated for the development of all constituencies for that purpose “
