Elder statesman, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has blasted the splinter newly registered Ohanaeze group for calling for the arrest of former and current leaders of the mainstream Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Chief Nnia Nwodo.

The recently set-up Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly, led by Basil Onuorah, had said the Nwodo-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo, was operating illegally without registration and certification by law and should be disbanded and its leadership investigated.

A lawyer, Amobi Nzelu, on behalf of the new rival group, had petitioned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alleging that the mainstream apex Igbo body was an illegal association and could not “transact any business,” including the proposed election.

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But in an interview  Ezeife, who is a former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, described the call as “arrant nonsense,” while advising the group to continue to fool themselves as a registered ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo’ while the people will continue to recognise the legitimate Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The South-East elder said, “This country allows freedom of association and you don’t have to register for freedom. What are they telling you? They are telling you that they went to register a name similar to Ohanaeze so as to say they are the legitimate Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Let them carry on; people will recognise the legitimate Ohanaeze.

“Look at them all and tell me one reasonable Igbo man in that group. I think this party politics must stop in Nigeria. I understand that party politics is the reason for that splinter group.”