The Igbo socio-cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo has noted that Igbos have moved on and will render their support to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu as from May 29.
Ohanaeze also appealed to the Labour Party, (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi to accept the outcome of the presidential election in the spirit of sportsmanship.
This development came as a reaction from calls by a group known as Igbo Patriotic Forum and Elders Forum who are still against the emergence of Tinubu, saying that he should not be inaugurated as president until the tribunal decides the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
However, Ohanaeze’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro reacted and said the Igbos have moved on and will render their support to the president-elect.
Condemning the call, Isiguzoro said the Ime-Obi has decided that Igbos should support Tinubu’s presidency until the court of competent jurisdiction says otherwise.
Isiguzoro added that Obi is the candidate for the future.
According to Isiguzoro: “At this point in time, we will not associate with Igbos saying Asiwaju should not be sworn in on May 29 until the tribunal and the Supreme Court decide who becomes the president.
“They were seeing instances where, in a football match, it’s wrong to hand over a trophy to a winner when the match is still ongoing, that the election process is still on until the Supreme Court gives its mandate.
“Ohanaeze, after due consultations with Southeast governors, Igbo elders, Ime-Obi, and the general assembly in Enugu decided to caution all stakeholders in the Igbo project to be careful of their utterances and not to portray Ndigbos as being against Tinubu because the consequences of such actions would fall back on our shoulders and Igbo populace who are mainly traders, living outside Igbo speaking states. The majority of them are in the Southwest, particularly in Lagos State.
“We are cautioning all those using the Igbo platform to allow the court to do justice, because Ohanaeze has nothing to lose. Those saying Tinubu should not be sworn in are calling for an interim government, and this call is very satanic and evil and does not represent the interest of Ndigbos.”
Isiguzoro said the organization wouldn’t allow some elements to pitch Igbos against the President-elect.
He added: “That is their own opinion, but Ohanaeze will attend his inauguration and not pick a fight with the President-elect.
“The position of Ohanaeze is very clear; we will continue to support whoever INEC declares as the president, and with the full backing of the Igbo governors with Rivers State, Ohanaeze is calling on those agitating for an interim government to drop it, it’s satanic.
“We are saying everybody should support Tinubu’s inauguration, but that does not stop them from doing their work. We are calling on all our 52 affiliated bodies that Ime-Obi has mandated that every agitation for the 2023 election should end because Ndigbo has moved on.
He charged the LP presidential candidate to start building meaningful bridges ahead of the next election.
“Peter Obi is the candidate of the future, nobody should use this election to create enmity because Igbos and Yorubas, nobody should pick up a fight they can’t finish against Tinubu. Igbo traders across the country would feel the heat of the proclamation of some so-called elders.”