JONATHAN ENDORSEMENT: WHY UWECHUE MUST BE SANCTIONED – ORJI KALU'S CAMPAIGN GROUP

The Orji Uzor Kalu Presidential Campaign Organisation (OUK 2011) has called for sanction by the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, against its President-General, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, for unilaterally endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan as a candidate for the 2011 presidential election.

The organization said the Ohanaeze leader did not just unilaterally do the endorsement but also tried to pass it off as though a collective decision of all Igbo, both at home and in Diasporas.

The Director-General of the OUK 2011, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said Uwechue's was completely on his own and should quit the leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo before engaging in 'food is ready politics'.

According to him: 'If at all, he is sincere, Uwechue should have waited for political parties to conclude their primaries before trying to cook up the fraud he is trying to pass off as Igbo people's position.

He should ask himself whether the socio-cultural group from the South-west has openly and singularly come out to adopt one person for the 2011 presidential election or whether, the socio-cultural group from the North, whose people are harping on zoning, has come out to endorse one candidate.'

The organisation noted that 'Uwechue should not have started a journey of foisting an albatross on the South-east people when he knows his tenure will soon expire and that Igbos will have to live with the decision he single-handedly announced for the next four years. He has also failed to publicly present a list of those present at the forum where he endorsed President Jonathan for the election. He should stop his further show of shame by trying to defend the fraud he has committed until such a time that he can tender proof that he did not take the decision alone and that he had the blessings of the people he is supposed to be leading.'

It alleged that Uwechue was a beneficiary of monetary inducement and would definitely investigate how much was involved for him to put his people on sale especially when Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) and the Legal Adviser of Ohanaeze, Oyibochukwu had openly condemned the position canvassed by him.

'As things stand now, there has been no known meeting of any of the organ of the Ohanaeze, where the purported endorsement of President Jonathan was recommended let alone adopted. The Igbo people have not extracted any promise from their Ijaw brothers and President Jonathan such that whatever exists presently is at the individual level.'

The campaign organisation urged the other leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to activate the necessary disciplinary machinery to investigate Uwechue and take the necessary steps based on the outcome of the probe.

'While the Ohanaeze Ndigbo tries to clean up the mess created by Uwechue, we urge the people of the South-east and the teeming supporters of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to disregard the purported endorsement by Uwechue as there have been no grounds to substantiate that there was any forum of Igbo leaders that took that decision.'

'It will indeed be ridiculous for the Igbo people to accept such an endorsement when an illustrious son of Igboland, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is running for the same position and has shown the kind of track record needed for the office of President. Dr. Kalu will make impact if paid detractors like Uwechue will allow the kind of free and fair election that will lead to his emergence. Yes. It's Possible!' 'Chief Urji Uzor Kalu will not be deterred in his move to offer himself for genuine leadership and selfless service at the highest office even if there exists a million Uwechue, who is ready to sacrifice his conscience and his people at the altar of Naira and Kobo', the Organisation pointed out.