The Ogbako Ohaji People’s Forum has rejected the plan to include no fewer than 25 communities under the Ohaji nation in Imo State in the proposed Orlu State from the Southeast region of the country.
The group in a statement jointly signed by the National President, Ogbako Ohaji People’s Forum, Fidelis Enya, and the Chairman of Ogbako Ohaji Committee on State Creation, Johnbosco Ben, alongside other stakeholders, noted that the communities are autonomous.
The statement, which was addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, acknowledged the necessity for the creation of a new state in the Southeast region to ensure balance with other regions.
The statement reads: “For so long, the people of Southeast have not left anyone in doubt that at least an additional state is needed to be carved out from this geopolitical zone. This move would not only correct the atrocious imbalance among the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, but would go a long way to assuage, placate, and give them an equivalent sense of belonging.
“However, the Ohaji Nation, which is bigger than four local government areas in some parts of Imo State, is regrettably merged with Egbema. Ohaji Nation, which has almost 400,000 population, is made up of 25 recognised autonomous communities and seven INEC political wards that unanimously, unequivocally, and vehemently reject any attempt to include us in the creation of Orlu State or any other geopolitical contraption so named.
“It is even more egregious and insulting that, even as we write, none of the promoters of such phantom proposals have thought it necessary to reach us as they have taken us for granted that we must acquiesce to their plans.”
They added that the documented history of the communities had shown that their inclusion in the Orlu senatorial district was an ‘aberration’ and an ‘inconvenient political marriage,’ stressing that the inclusion “was merely driven by greed, selfishness, annexation, conquest, bribery of a few leaders who acquiesced to this aberration.”
The communities concluded by reiterating their stance to remain as part of Imo State.
“In our last letter to your office dated June 11, 2024, this body reiterated that we have no cultural and social affinity with the Orlu people. Political alliance and relationship should be by choice and agreement and not by compulsion and to that extent we say an emphatic NO to our inclusion in the new Orlu State, but Yes to Imo State where we rightfully belong and wish to remain due to proximity, religious, and boundary ties.
“Conclusively, we like our forefathers and late distinguished leaders would not shift ground that Ohaji District will not be part of a proposed Orlu State.
“As much as we support that the envisaged state in question succeeds, Ohaji wants and insists that we remain in Imo State or any state that does not have Orlu as its capital,” they insisted.