Sir Mike Okiro, the former Inspector General of Police, has announced his withdrawal from the Ohanaeze Ndigbo presidential race after receiving a court order this evening.
Okiro emphasized, “I will not participate in any elections until the matter before Hon Justice N.R. Oji of the Enugu State High Court is resolved.
Although I have not been formally served with the suit or the order, I remain committed to upholding the law, even though the order seems to infringe upon my fundamental rights as guaranteed by Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”During a press briefing last night, Okiro addressed attendees with determination, stating, “As Sir Mike Okiro CFR, candidate for the Ohanaeze Ndigbo presidency in the upcoming election on January 10, 2025, I am here today to convey my resolve. I have been made aware of the interim order from the Enugu State High Court that unfortunately prohibits me from contesting the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide presidency tomorrow.
The court’s decision, based on claims concerning my indigene status, conflicts with verifiable facts.
It’s disheartening that I was not invited to present my case before this troubling order was issued—I learned of it through the media.He continued, Let me clarify my status: (a) I am from Egbema in Rivers State, as shown by my National Population Commission Attestation of Birth; (b) my Traditional Ruler, the Nzeobi of Egbema, has verified my indigeneity; (c) my authorship of several books, including my best-seller ‘Nigeria: The Restructuring ‘Controversy,’ reflects my identity as a Rivers State indigene; (d) my biography, authored by Mr. Dozie Okebalama, attests to this fact; (e) I have represented Rivers State at numerous Imeobi meetings documented by the Secretary-General; (f) during my time at the University of Ibadan, I served as Treasurer of the Rivers State Students’ Association; and (g) I have represented Rivers State at meetings of the South-South People’s Assembly.”Okiro reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law, stating, “As an Igbo man and an elder statesman from Rivers State, I respect the court’s order.
My obedience to court rulings, despite their unfavorable nature, signifies our
