Crisis Brew in Igbo Community, Abuja over Leadership Tussle

A leadership crisis is brewing in the Igbo Community Association, ICA, Abuja over the authentic position of the president General (PG) of the association and its new executives

There are three factions laying claims to the leadership of the Igbo Community Association, Abuja .

This is even as the former president General, Hon Leonard Ebo’s faction led by it’s new executives Mr. Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe has dismissed the emergence of another factional president General by Eze Ibe Nwosu’s faction , insisting that the election that produced him as the new president General of the association in November, 2024, was in accordance with the constitutional provision of the association.

Ezenekwe claimed that his election as the authentic president General was ratified by the highest decision making body of the Igbo’s , the Ime Obi, adding that the association wrote all the relevant arms including , the Eze in Council , Ime Obi, Ohaneze , amongst others notifying them of the election.

Ezenekwe, who said he was ready to work with the Eze Ibe Nwosu’s faction and other factions for the peace , development and interest of the Igbo’s denied any sponsorship by any external forces to destabilize the association and Igbo’s in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

He noted that after his election as the new president General, his executives paid a courtesy visit to the Eze Ibe Nwosu’s palace and were warmly received and prayed for , expressing shock that few weeks after the visit , the Eze appointed his cronies as officers of the association which according to him was resisted.

Ezenekwe further claimed that after the era of late Hon Mike Okoye as ICA PG , there has never been any election to produce the PG, insisting that the PG’s have been unilaterally appointed by the Eze, Ibe Nwosu’.

He said ” Since the formation of ICA, after the era of Mike Okoye as PG , there has never been any election, the PG is being appointed by Eze Ibe Nwosu disregarding constitutional democracy as enshrined in the constitution . After several years of appointment and 12 years of the former PG tenue Hon. Leonard Ebo, members began to agitate and clamour for an election which the Eze Igbo 1 never wanted and refused to allow for an election, rather he unilaterally announced the removal of the former PG, prompting his vice president and secretary General to take over , when they refused and we resisted him and insisted we must have an election and produced the current executives led by my humble self.”

Unfolding his blueprint, Ezenekwe said he will focus on harmony , unity and economic transformation of the Igbo’s being people that are endowed in trade , commerce and technological development.

He called on the federal government to develop a sea port in the south East to fast track economic development in the region.

Speaking, the immediate past President General, Hon. Leonard Ebo denied any financial infraction levelled against him, adding that he handed over 200,000 to the new executives.

He alleged that the crisis started when the Eze in council refused to allow for a free and fair conduct of election to produce a democratically elected executive than appointment by the Eze.