Response to the Communique by Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers
We, the executives and members of the Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers, hereby respond to the letter purportedly banning the activities of our association by the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers. We wish to state as follows:
- Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers does not operate in parallel with the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers or any other state council in all the Igbo-speaking states where we have been carrying out our activities peacefully. Our operations and goals have always been conducted in a manner that respects the cultural institutions of all Igbo communities.
- Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers is not an arm, appendage, or a body under the control of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers. As such, it has no constitutional powers to direct or determine, let alone ban our activities. We are an independent entity working for the collective good of the Igbo people.
- Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers is a duly registered body, certified and legally registered with membership that spans across Igbo land. It is, therefore, an overreach for an organization whose jurisdiction is limited to Abia State to assert any authority over an entity that operates legally and peacefully across multiple states.
- The constitution of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers does not empower it to ban any organization, body, or association from conducting its activities, especially when such an organization is operating lawfully and does not disrupt societal peace or cause harm to anyone.
- It is perplexing that the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, whose influence is confined to Abia State, would attempt to ban a body like Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers, whose membership and influence extend across the entire Igbo-speaking regions of the Southeast and South-South.
- We would appreciate it if the leadership of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers could clarify and inform the public about the legal grounds upon which they base their authority to disband a legally registered organization that operates across the Igbo-speaking states, including the Southeast and South-South regions.
- We wish to remind the leadership of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers that the right to freedom of association is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution of Nigeria. As a registered and law-abiding entity, Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers has the right to operate and carry out its activities peacefully, in accordance with the laws of the federation. Any attempt to undermine our activities would amount to a violation of our fundamental rights.
- Our programs and activities do not conflict with the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers or any other traditional institution in the region. Any attempt to intimidate or bully our organization will be resisted legally, as we are committed to using the rule of law to protect our rights.
- The primary goal of Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers is to promote peace, foster development, preserve our language, tradition, and culture, and encourage the Ndi Igbo, both at home and in the diaspora, to think home and invest in Ala Igbo. Our activities are aimed at the collective advancement of the Igbo people.
- Finally, we wish to express our continued appreciation and support for the efforts of Governors Dr. Alex Otti (Abia State), Hope Uzodinma (Imo State), Nwifuru (Ebonyi State), Peter Mbah (Enugu State), Charles Soludo (Anambra State), and Sherif Oborowheri (Delta State), in their commitment to peace and development within our region. We also call on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that peace and order are restored in Rivers State and that the rights of all citizens are respected.
In conclusion, we reiterate that Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers will continue to pursue its objectives in full accordance with the law and the constitution, and we call for mutual respect and collaboration with all traditional institutions across the Igbo-speaking states.
Thank you.
Signed,
HRM Eze Nnamdi Ofoegbu
Chairman
Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers
