The Igbo Youth Alliance for Self-Determination has alleged a plot by internal forces within the Ohanaeze Ndigbo to blackmail and arm-twist its President-General George Obiozor.

A statement issued Tuesday and signed by Mazi Chukwuma Nwachi, National President and Mazi Okechukwu Ubani, National Secretary, respectively, claims that a cabal within the National Executive Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is plotting to sabotage the presidency of Prof George Obiozor by trying to impose a youth wing on him.

The statement reads in part: ‘Six months after the turbulent election that ushered in the President-General, Prof George Obiozor led National Executive of the apex socio-cultural organisation – Ohanaeze Ndigbo – we have observed the existence of a cabal within the Prof George Obiozor led Executive. There is an ongoing secret internal power tussle in the Executive of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo. As a result of different political tendencies and power blocs within the Executive serving the primary political interest of their state governor.’

The statement further read: ‘These individual actors are struggling to strengthen their political influence in the organisation ahead of the 2023 Nigeria Presidential Election in which the Igbo of South East extraction are strongly agitating to be given the support to produce the next President of Nigeria in 2023 noting the strategic role, influence and position of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in that project.’

The group alleged that some of the political interests and blocs within the Obiozor led Ohanaeze Ndigbo who have failed in their several covert attempts to unduly influence Prof Obiozor to do their biddings have devised another plot to ambush Prof Obiozor in other to blackmail him and hijack his leadership.

‘The new plot now includes the tactical and subtle move to blackmail Prof George Obiozor to compel him to allow them to decide the candidate who will be recognised as the President of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing. This cabal has intensified their action to blackmail and arm-twist Prof George Obiozor into submission to allow this faceless cabal within his Executive to choose the candidate who will be recognised as the President of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing.

‘This cabal believes that if they succeed in imposing the candidate of their choice as the President of the Youth Wing, that means they have succeeded fifty per cent in their plan to control the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and therefore make Prof George Obiozor be just a ceremonial President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo without powers to control the strategic component of the organization which is the youth.’

However, the group admonished Prof Obiozor to identify more with the grassroots organisations and unions across Igboland.

‘Prof Obiozor should also identify with Igbo commoners, trade unions, market unions, artisans, transport unions of various categories to give him more grass support so he can achieve his Igbo political and economic emancipation in the Nigerian project,’ the statement read.