Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has successfully brokered peace between the two factional leaders of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, Chief Gray Enwo-Igariwey and Dr. Ralph Obioha with the latter dropping his claim to the Office of President-General of Ohaneze.

Dr. Obioha equally accepted Chief Enwo Igariwey as the only President-General of the Organization and also pledged to give Chief Igariwey all the needed support and cooperation to enable him succeed.

The reconciliation of the two factions, which was presided over by Okorocha, come Monday night, after a very lengthy meeting between the two leaders, members of their respective executives and delegates from the states that make up Ohaneze, at the Government House Owerri.

It was gathered that one of the agreements at the meeting was that the tenure of Chief Igariwey was extended by one year, and at the expiration of the one year, fresh election would be conducted to select new leaders for the body.

Similarly, all those suspended from the body while the squabble lasted, were also recalled, and all the court cases occasioned by the dispute would also be withdrawn.

“A 17-member committee that would see to the implementation of all that was agreed including the issue of election was set up with Dr. Obioha as Chairman, while the governors will produce one member each”, the communique stated.

In his speech, Governor Okorocha expressed gladness that “the Ohaneze family is back as one”, stressing that “we have proven to the world that Igbos are their brothers keepers.” Okorocha continued, “The President of Ohaneze will soon address the Igbo nation. All Igbos must join hands with the Ohaneze leadership to move Igbo nation forward. With this peace, we are going to see a new kind of support for Ohaneze. The rest of the world will hear about the Igbo nation. The jinx has been broken.”

Chief Igariwey and Dr. Obioha in their respective speeches, said achieving peace in the leadership of Ohaneze and reconciling the two factions should be celebrated by all Igbos because the division had never augured well with the august body and the interest of the Igbos in general.

Credit : Vanguard