Worried by the incessant meddling into partisan politics and its increasing criticisms of President Buhari and the present administration, the Igbo-based sociocultural organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo has been advised to register as a political party so that it can be recognised as such.
Giving this advice recently in a press statement signed by him and made available to newsmen, Â an APC ex-presidential aspirant in the 2019 election, Alh. Mumakai Unagha chided the Igbo sociocultural organization for its increasing opposition and baseless criticisms of President Buhari, adding that the organization seemed nonexistent all through the administration of former President Jonathan.
Unagha said that, going by its present posture, Ohaneze Ndigbo appears to have abandoned its traditional role as a sociocultural organization of the Igbo nation, adding that it should stop its pretence and approach INEC directly for it to be registered as a political party.
He said: “There is no doubt, you are all aware of the frequent attacks on the present administration of Muhammadu Buhari by the Apex social Cultural organization of the Ibos people, Ohaneze Ndigbo.
“Since the president was elected in 2015 and subsequently now, the organization has not hidden its political hatred on Mr. President. They have been very critical on the policy or polices of the present government which they did not do during the then administration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The organization has constituted itself as a rivalry despite the fact that its members occupy juicy and strategic positions in the present day government. They speak louder than the opposition parties especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a situation which suggested that they are affiliate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Let me call or advise the Leadership of the Ibo Organization to register the organization with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a political party, to seek elective positions. They should not hide under any guise, they should be bold and be free to do so.”
The ex-presidential aspirant accused the organization of meddling into politics as “it has not only abandoned the principle for which the organization was formed, it is now more into partisan politics, playing the role of opposition.”