The United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) Worldwide has urged all sides in the ongoing leadership crisis in the Lagos State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to prioritise the collective interest of Ndigbo over personal ambitions and factional loyalty.
In a statement signed by its Director-General, Bishop Justice Alpha Ikpeama, the council called for reconciliation, respect for constitutional processes and responsible leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections. It warned that the prolonged dispute must not be allowed to weaken the socio-cultural institution of the Igbo people.
UNIEC noted a recent statement by some members of the Global Executive Council (GEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. The elders said they would not take sides in the factional contest but would approach the matter with moderation, fairness and historical awareness. Their role, they emphasised, is to promote unity, preserve the dignity of Ndigbo and safeguard the future of the Igbo people.
The council acknowledged claims surrounding a reported consent judgment, a 2025 GEC intervention, reconciliation efforts, an April 2026 election and the affirmation of Chief Leonard Okafor as Lagos State president. However, it cautioned against treating competing public statements as final determinations of legitimacy. Disputed constitutional and judicial issues, UNIEC stressed, should be resolved through the applicable constitution and bye-laws, certified court processes, competent institutional authorities and authentic records.
On Okafor’s reported emergence, the elders said any election outcome must be assessed within the full constitutional and judicial framework. If properly conducted under lawful authority, stakeholders should respect the result. Where legal questions remain unresolved, parties should allow due process to take its course rather than engage in public confrontation. The ultimate goal, they said, must be the restoration of one united, credible and peaceful Lagos chapter.
The controversy over a purported “Coordinator” office should likewise be settled by constitutional documentation rather than personal claims. Institutions are strengthened by records, constitutional authority and due process, not by rumour or public recrimination, the council stated.
UNIEC warned that Ndigbo cannot afford to enter the 2027 political cycle with their socio-cultural institutions weakened by internal divisions. While affirming its non-partisan stance, the council said political differences among Igbo people must not translate into disunity. It urged leaders to approach the elections with strategic thinking, constructive engagement and unity of purpose, assessing candidates on competence, character and policy while protecting the common interests of the Igbo.
The elders called on the national leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide to handle the Lagos crisis with constitutional responsibility, transparency and a commitment to reconciliation. They appealed to contending parties not to turn brothers into enemies or institutions into battlefields, invoking the Igbo principles of “Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya” and “Igwe Bu Ike.”
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