The counsel for Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly, Amobi Nzelu, has declared that the group is an illegal group.
Nzelu filed a suit on Sunday, November 29, asking the police and the Department of State Services to stop the Ohanaeze Ndigbo election slated for January, 2021.
Nzelu also urged security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to arrest the outgoing President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, and other principal officers of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, past and present, for allegedly running the organisation illegally.
In a petition the Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly claimed to be the authentic body permitted by law to run the affairs of Ndigbo as a socio-cultural group.
Their petition read in part, “For more than two decades, people of Igbo extraction branded themselves as ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo’ and this group or association at various times have been led by prominent people in some of the states that constitute Igbo-speaking areas.
“However, it has been discovered that the said ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo’ now being led by Chief Nnia Nwodo was not duly registered in accordance with the extant provisions of the law nor was any Article and Memorandum of Association defining or circumscribing their functions filed and registered on their behalf with the relevant authorities.”
The petition added, “Stop Ohanaeze Ndigbo being led by Chief John Nnia Nwodo from conducting any election whatsoever into the offices of the illegal association in any of the states of the federation since the association is an illegal body.
“Investigate the accounts and activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo being led by Chief John Nnia Nwodo and all monies collected from individuals, governors and highly exposed political personalities.
“Arrest, interrogate and prosecute the principal officers of the said Ohanaeze Ndigbo present and past, for running an illegal association. Disband the said Ohanaeze Ndigbo being led by Chief John Nnia Nwodo as being illegal.”
The petition was copied to various security agencies and governors of seven states – Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers.
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