The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has stated its readiness for the review the organisation’s constitution which was first drafted in 2003.
The national publicity secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, said the organisation has set machinery in motion to ensure that the constitution is reviewed.
Ogbonnia noted that the amendment became necessary in order to accommodate “current developments” which were not envisaged 20 years ago.
“The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo), has set a machinery in motion for a review of the 2003 Ohanaeze Ndigbo constitution.
“It is the view of the NEC of Ohanaeze that the constitution which was last amended in 2003 needs to accommodate various current developments which were not envisaged in 2003, exactly twenty years ago.
“The constitution which bears the signatures of Prof Joe Irukwu, as the President General; Col. J.O.G. Achuzia, as the Secretary General and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee was a product of a constitutional crisis which took place at Imeobi Ohanaeze held at the Hotel Presidential, Enugu, on November 24, 2003.
“In order to resolve the constitutional impasse, the Imeobi Ohanaeze had to set up a Constitutional Review Committee headed by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
“The Iwuanyanwu committee was mandated to present a report to the Ohanaeze General Assembly at Owerri, Imo state on Sunday, November 30, 2003. Accordingly, “the report was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly and formed the basis for the election of the national officers on the same day.”
“In spite of the commitment and prudence exhibited by the Iwuanyanwu Committee, there are still some discrepancies and unanticipated dynamics that were not contemplated in the last two decades. In other words, it is inconceivable to expect a constitution that was last reviewed twenty years ago to fulfill the expectations of the present realities.
