Enugu — The Ohanaeze Transition Committee (OTC) hereby restates to all Nigerians that the tenure of Prof. Joe Irukwu as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo expired on the 28th of January 2006, along with that of all other members of the then Executive Committee. Anyone still in doubt of this. solid fact is advised to check with the Enugu High Court where Chief. Joe Achuzia, former Secretary-General filed the one and only Constitution of Ohanaeze, which stipulates a two-year tenure for all members of the Executive, together with the Oath of Office which the members swore to individually provided within the same one and only Constitution.

It is repeated, for the sake of emphasis, that the tenure of office is for two years. All other prevarications and doublespeak of any body about some purported Constitution prior, or even sequel to the lodging of this one and only Ohanaeze Constitution at the Enugu High Court are only posturings and self-serving fruitless pursuits. Sooner than latter, Chief Achuzia's other written affirmations in consonance "strictly in accordance with the Ohanaeze Constitution: "2 Years'" (his words), would be made available to the public. There is no doubt and should be no controversy on the fact that Prof. Joe Irukwu ceased to be President-General of Ohanaeze from past-midnight 28th of January 2006; Prof. Obumselu ceased to be the Deputy President-General from the same time and date; Chief. Achuzia ceased to be Secretary-General from the same time and date, and all other members of the defunct Executive from the same time and date. The case of the State/Local Government/Town Chairmen is ac tually a non-issue as their election under the one and only 2-year term Ohanaeze Constitution took place long before the mischievous claims of any amendments at the Owerri elections. Their tenure had also expired..

The Ohanaeze Transition Committee has put in place necessary machinery for conducting the constitutionally necessary fresh elections at all levels. This will shortly be implemented except where it is adjudged that the self- seeking manipulators have dragged the soul and spirit of Ohanaeze so much down, by their actions, lies and deceit, to an irredeemable level.

Ohanaeze, which was revamped into Igbo and national positivity by not a few, and which is now being desecrated and even bastardised by only a few, is meant to be a Socio- Cultural organization for the promotion of our cultural revival and the pursuit of equity, justice and fair-play, between and among the various nationalities that make up the country, Nigeria. It is necessary to restate what is the true and factual position of Ohanaeze for and on behalf of the Igbo nation and for Ndigbo in the internal and external Diaspora. Once again we restate that it is in the interest of Nigeria, all Nigerians, for the next President of Nigeria to emerge from the South-East or the South-South of Nigeria come 2007 whether the Constitution is amended or not. The Ohanaeze Transition Committee hereby reassures all Nigerians, especially our South-South brethren that Prof. Joe Irukwu's statement at Abakaliki on Wednesday 22nd of February 2006, is purely his personal self-serving doublespeak.

Prof: Joe Irukwu, former President-General of Ohanaeze, has no mandate from the "50 million Igbos" to sell away the Igbo birthright through his pathetic "volte face" in the Abakaliki "public hearing", by rooting for extension of office for government executives against the existing Constitution of the land. We must mention that we are not surprised, though. For all one cares, his hope would be that such an extension would facilitate and justify his unlawful and futile attempts to sit tight as Ohanaeze President-General.

We wish to advise all those in executive governance of the country at whatever levels, who may be nursing any destabilizing idea of sitting tight, to be wary of Prof. Joe Irukwu and his clique and ilk. Rest assured that the dubious and unprincipled manoeuvres of the latter persons would prove the undoing of the former. Let us mention in passing that any extension (the so called-"third term") could mean 12,15, or more years in reality. On the other side of the coin, it is a fact that Prof. Joe Irukwu would have no moral right as a person to express opposition towards extension of the tenure of government executives, when he himself and his busybodies seek to sit tight against the Constitution of Ohanaeze. Only Prof. Joe Irukwu, Chief Joe Achuzia and their clique, including political party "Chief Campaign Coordinators" would answer for themselves whether they are acting or pronouncing from fear, subornation, threats, inferiority complex or rancid greed. It is very significant t hat after almost two years of cat and mouse, cock and bull ding dong, Prof. Joe irukwu and Chief Joe Achuzia found new partnership in illegality and Unlawfulness at the expense of Ndigbo and indeed of Nigeria. Perhaps the affirmations of Senator Ahmed Tinubu, Executive Governor of Lagos State, (see Saturday Vanguard, February 25 2006, page 5) may also be the bane of these otherwise illustrious Igbo men (and women).

The OTC. seizes this chance to appeal for calm and circumspection over the matter of the sectarian violence and killings that have erupted in various parts of the country. We shall revert on this in due course; in the meantime it is important that we all realize that we are, jointly and severally, of this country that has the potentials of being great, if only justice and fair-play would be our cardinal pursuit. On the Niger Delta imbroglio, we advise dialogue and cultural diplomacy as well as proper attention to the real needs of the deprived peoples of the Niger Delta. We would also revert on this in due course. Peace, real peace based on equity, is essential to all of us in this country.

Once more, we reassure all Nigerians that Ndigbo remain unshaken as to their proper position, notwithstanding the apparent self-seeking utterances of Prof. Joe Irukwu, former President-General of Ohanaeze. There is no problem in Ohanaeze, and this is not a case of washing any dirty Igbo linen in the public. Rather Prof Joe Irukwu, Chief Joe Achuzia and their drivers hung out their own linen which shows all its dirt. Indeed, what is called for is our sympathy for these men who have, in what confoundingly appears to be their inordinate pursuit of whatever it is, destroyed whatever is left of their integrity .

Chief Mike Ahamba Secretary, Ohanaeze Transition Committee, sent this piece from Enugu.