Defends Ihejirika on terrorism allegation
…Rejects new polling units
As the nation marches towards the 2015 general elections, the apex Igbo social-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that Igbo presidency is not on its agen­da.
President General of the organisation, Chief Gary Nna­chi Enwo-Igariwey, told Daily Sun in Abuja after a meeting with leaders of Igbo organisa­tions in the 19 northern states and Abuja, that the group was not looking at Igbo presidency in 2015.
He was, however, quick to add that the decision of the group would be made known at the appropriate time, even as he stressed that there was no time the group said it had not pushed the idea of an Igbo man being president in 2015.
“We are not looking at Igbo presidency in 2015. We have not said so. Our decisions would be made known at the appropriate time. There was no time we said we haven’t pushed the idea of an Igbo man being president in 2015,” Enwo-Igariwey said.
The Ohanaeze president urged all Igbo to be registered for voting in their places of residence.
He said this was a civic responsibility, adding that by doing so, Igbo all over the na­tion, would be able to contrib­ute to decisions in their areas of residence.
The Ohanaeze leader urged President Goodluck Jonathan to fast track decisions on the recommendations of the just concluded national confer­ence, saying that the resolu­tions were what the people wanted and it would serve no­body’s interest to sit on them.
On the recent allegation by an Australian hostage and cri­sis negotiator, Stephen Davis, that Lieutenant General Azu­buike Ihejirika, was among sponsors of Boko Haram, the Ohanaeze president said the group saw the reasons given as unrealistic.
“Why would Ihejirika spon­sor people, who said they want to Islamise the country? Why will he sponsor people who are killing people, including his own people?
“Why was he also accused of being brutal on the insur­gents and that they were going to report him to the Interna­tional Court of Justice?
“How can the same people who made the same allega­tions also accuse him of spon­soring the same people they accused him of killing?
“We are satisfied with Ihe­jirika’s service to the nation and we commend him. And we are asking those who are fanning these rumours to de­sist in the interest of this coun­try,” Enwo-Igariwey said.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo harped on the need for Nige­rians to close ranks and work with one voice, adding, “this has become extremely impor­tant because of the security situation in certain parts of the country, especially the North East. Also, it commended the sacrifices by security forces in  their fight against insurgence, adding, “Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost their lives in the defence of our country.”
The communiqué read in part: “We condemn in strong terms, the attempt to smear the person of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ihe­jirika. The logic behind this is strange and unacceptable. We are satisfied with the explana­tion of the State Security Ser­vice and commend his merito­rious service to the nation. We urge all those behind this to stop forthwith.
“We also commend govern­ment’s efforts in the control of the Ebola Virus Disease. We are happy with the high pro­fessional approach of the Min­ister of Health and his team.
“We are dissatisfied with the reasons advanced by the Independent National Elec­toral Commission (INEC) chairman for the release of the imbalanced new polling units. It is insensitive and defies log­ic. We believe that only after voter registration updates can new polling units be allocated according to new facts. We therefore reject it.”

2015: Igbo presidency not on our agenda –Ohanaeze