An activist lawyer from Rivers State, Uche Nnam Okwukwu, has emerged as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide at the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization’s ongoing convention in Port-Harcourt.

The General Assembly of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, according to a statement by the returning officer, Dr. Achi Achi, said the new President General, Okwukwu, was returned unopposed at the the convention, which began on Thursday and is expected to end on Friday.

The returning officer said Okwukwu was elected by the progressive movement in Igboland, expressing appreciation to the national delegates who stormed Port Harcourt for the exercise, even as he noted that they were the true members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for finding the new helmsman worthy.

He said the new leader had pledged to defend the interest of all Igbos and uphold the tenets of the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Okwukwu, in his acceptance speech, thanked the delegates, saying that he humbly accepted the enormous responsibility imposed on him to lead the Igbo race “at this moment in our history”.

The newly elected President General
said his top priorities include engaging the Federal Government on the unconditional release of the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and restructuring Nigeria.

Besides, he promised to “unite fractured nerves and bring the Igbo together as one indivisible family,” saying that he was fully aware of the unprecedented trust reposed in him and his capacity to do so.

He equally pledged defend the Igbo nation, adding: “I shall live up to their high expectations.”

Okwukwu thanked all members of the Electoral Committee, the elders, members of the press and the general Igbo public, for all the joint efforts that contributed to a successful convention.

The newly elected President General, while noting that the Igbo nation had gone through unprecedented travails, assured that he would waste no time in engaging the federal and state governments, businessmen, politicians, youths and the intelligentsia, to address the problems facing the Igbo.

He said he would meet President Bola Tinubu to work for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and other political prisoners, and ensure de-criminalization of political exiles to enable they return home to join the process of reconstruction.

“We shall encourage the federal and state governments to engage all agitators to address grievances so as to bring a just closure to issues,” Okwukwu said.

Speaking further, he said he would also engage the Federal Government in dredging, modernization and restoration of the Igweocha/Port-Harcourt and other coastal ports for the Igbo/East and others, together with the dredging of the Azumini to Opobo Imo River basin to the coast, in order to recreate a pole of export-import industrialization and development in Igboland/East, down to the Middle-Belt and Maiduguri.

“I will work for the creation of the Anioma State as an equalization state for the Igbo, and for additional Aba, Adada, Etiti, Orlu or other states in case the balance is further disrupted,” he said.

On restructuring, Okwukwu promised to mobilise the Igbo for the agenda, noting that all other ethnic nationalities had ready templates, but no recent Ohanaeze leadership had had any courage to address the issue.

“I will work hand in hand with critical Igbo stakeholders to advance the unity of the Igbo nation, and ensure that Igbo communities in Benue, Edo etc, are fully incorporated into the Ohanaeze family memberships, modernize the Igbo language as one of the major languages of global commerce, culture, science and technology,” he said.

Okwukwu, it was gathered, emerged as the consensus candidate having been identified as the only independent contestant among more than four aspirants that sought to lead the Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

The election attended by several people was held in Port-Harcourt, with delegates from the South-East and the Diaspora in attendance, while more than 200 social and cultural groups were also present at the event.