Press Release

The apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, issues this formal declaration with a profound sense of responsibility and a heavy heart. We unequivocally acknowledge the collective failure of Ndigbo to adequately participate in the recently concluded Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Online Voters Registration Exercise. After a thorough internal investigation into the disappointing performance of the Southeast region, we feel compelled to share this unvarnished truth with the Igbo people.

The figures are stark and deeply concerning. During the one-week online registration exercise, from August 18 to August 25, 2025, the entire Southeast region recorded an unacceptable total of just 1,998 new voter registrations. This figure stands in stark contrast to the 1.3 million Nigerians who registered nationwide. Notably, the Southwest region registered a staggering 848,359 new voters, followed by the North-Central region with 250,218. These numbers represent a significant underperformance for the Southeast.

Therefore, driven by an unwavering commitment to the welfare and future of Ndigbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo issues this imperative: *Every eligible Igbo voter must, without hesitation, register during the ongoing INEC In-Person Voters Registration Exercise.

Our investigations reveal a catastrophic failure of leadership and a glaring lack of awareness among the Southeast electorate regarding the importance of the online registration process. The absence of participation in Anambra State, where not a single individual registered, is particularly egregious and calls for immediate condemnation. We hold all political leaders in Anambra State accountable, including Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Former Governor Peter Obi, for their dereliction of duty. Their failure to mobilize eligible citizens for this crucial exercise represents a profound betrayal of trust.

The blame extends beyond Anambra. We criticize the Southeast governors, whose focus on narrow political agendas has overshadowed the paramount political interests of the Igbo people. While Ohanaeze Ndigbo acknowledges its own shortcomings in this endeavor, Traditional Rulers and Southeast civil rights groups are also implicated in this collective failure. This irresponsible conduct has turned the Southeast into a political caricature in the eyes of the nation. These leaders have committed a grave political blunder by failing to mobilize the Igbo people for this vital registration process.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo now calls upon Ndigbo to take control of their destiny. The ongoing INEC In-Person Voters Registration Exercise, which began on August 26, 2025, and will continue for one year until August 31, 2026, presents an opportunity for redemption. During this period, Ohanaeze Ndigbo will relentlessly pressure the Southeast governors, the 95 Local Government Area Chairmen under ALGON, Traditional Rulers, religious organizations, civil rights organizations, presidents of Igbo town unions, Igbo market associations, student groups, and all relevant stakeholders to mobilize every eligible individual to register.

We cannot afford to be excluded from this critical electoral process. Failure to register will have dire consequences. If we do not participate, the Southeast will continue to suffer exclusion from the center, and the calls of “marginalization,” though self-inflicted in this instance, will only amplify the suffering of the Igbo people.

This is a clarion call, a rallying cry, to all Igbo across Nigeria. Participate in the INEC Voters Registration Exercise across the 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation. Register and make your voice heard. Let the Igbo people reclaim their rightful place in the Nigerian political landscape.

Signed

Mazi Okechukwu ISIGUZORO 
Deputy President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo 

Chief Thompson Ohia 
National Spokesman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo 

August 31, 2025