“Igbo votes must no longer be taken for granted” – Chief Okorie
On Wednesday, 27 August 2025 in Abuja, Chief Dr Chekwas Okorie, pioneer and national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), convened the inaugural meeting of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue (IAD), a newly formed platform seeking to elevate Igbo political agency across Nigeria.
During opening remarks, Okorie emphasised the urgent need to reverse decades of political marginalisation. He recalled that a former president had dismissively described Igbos as a “dot in a circle,” despite their unparalleled geographic footprint and resilience. His address underscored the necessity of stepping away from passivity, “The time has come to redeem, reassert, and reclaim our inalienable rights in Nigeria”, setting the tone for a clear, collective agenda.
A Communiqué, co-signed by Okorie and Executive Secretary Jonathan Elendu, elaborates the IAD’s resolutions. Among the foremost is the demand that “any candidate or political party seeking Igbo support must enter into a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and such agreements shall be made public through verified platforms,” stated Chief Okorie as he read out the resolutions from the Communiqué, emphasising transparency and accountability.
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The document also clarifies the IAD’s role, it is not designed to become a rival to Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, but rather a complementary platform committed to forging a unified and binding political agenda for Ndigbo.
Another highlight of the communiqué is the plan to convene a comprehensive Igbo Political Summit in Enugu, with the date to be determined. It is however intended to be all-inclusive, drawing stakeholders across political parties, market and professional groups, town unions, women’s and youth organisations, and the diaspora, including Igbo-speaking communities in Delta, Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Kogi states and beyond.
The Summit is also intended to produce an Igbo Charter, a comprehensive document defining Igbo interests, rights, and responsibilities in Nigeria, to be drafted by a committee of respected leaders, technocrats, and intellectuals.
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Participants expressed deep concern over the long-standing absence of a unified Igbo political front since the end of the Civil War in 1970. The communiqué condemned the ridicule, marginalisation and alienation of Ndigbo in Nigeria’s political space, vowing to end such trends.
Moreover, noting that voter turnout among Igbos has been declining, the IAD resolved to re-awaken political consciousness through mass mobilisation and voter education. It emphasised that the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) remains “the strongest instrument of political empowerment for Ndigbo, far more effective than violence or armed struggle.”
Finally, the communiqué endorsed the formation of an Igbo National Grid, a coordinated structure linking all credible Igbo associations, unions, professional bodies, and diaspora groups for political mobilisation, economic empowerment, and cultural renaissance.
Prominent attendees and participants included Prof Vitalis Ajumbe, former Imo State Commissioner for Information and Tourism, and Mr Ikechukwu Eze, formerly spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan, together with leaders of political parties, town unions, professional bodies, and other critical Igbo stakeholders.
As the attendees and participants expressed their gratitude to Chief Okorie for convening this historic meeting, they also committed to unity and sincere purpose under his leadership, pledging to support IAD, the upcoming Summit, and adoption of the Igbo Charter.
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