Ohanaeze Ndigbo sets up committee to review group’s constitution

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo-socio cultural group, has set up a committee to review its constitution.

In a statement on Thursday, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, national publicity secretary of the group, said the constitutional review will accommodate various current developments that were not envisaged 20 years ago when the last amendment was carried out.

He called on stakeholders to send their submissions to Ezechi Chukwu, secretary of the constitution review committee before December 31.

“The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR; OFR; CFR; FNICE; FNSE; KSC (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo), has set a machinery in motion for a review of the 2003 Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution,” the statement reads.

“It is the view of the NEC of Ohanaeze that the Constitution which was last amended in 2003 needs to accommodate various current developments which were not envisaged in 2003, exactly twenty years ago.

“The Constitution which bears the signatures of Prof Joe Irukwu, as the Present General; Col. J.O.G. Achuzia, as the Secretary General and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee was a product of a constitutional crisis which took place at Imeobi Ohanaeze held at the Hotel Presidential Enugu on November 24, 2003.

“In order to resolve the constitutional impasse, the Imeobi Ohanaeze had to set up a Constitutional Review Committee headed by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

“The Iwuanyanwu committee was mandated to present a report to the Ohanaeze General Assembly at Owerri, Imo State on Sunday, November 30, 2003.

“Accordingly, the report was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly and formed the basis for the election of the National Officers on the same day.

“In spite of the commitment and prudence exhibited by the Iwuanyanwu Committee, there are still some discrepancies and unanticipated dynamics that were not contemplated in the last two decades. In other words, it is inconceivable to expect a constitution that was last reviewed twenty years ago to fulfil the expectations of the present realities.

“It is based on the foregoing that the NEC of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide calls for memoranda from all the patriotic Igbo sons, daughters, all the Ohanaeze chapters, Ohanaeze Women Wing, Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Ohanaeze affiliates, Traditional Rulers, Town Unions, professional bodies, Churches, Igbo Interest groups and other relevant organizations to reach the Secretary of the Ohanaeze Constitution Review Committee, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu on a Whattsapp number 0813-2087496.

“All the submissions are expected to reach the Secretary on or before December 31, 2023.”