Okorie: Political Parties Must Sign Binding MoU To Secure Igbo Support

Founder and pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and convener of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue (IAD), Chief Chekwas Okorie, has declared that the political support of Ndigbo will no longer be taken for granted.

Okorie said any candidate or political party seeking Igbo votes in future elections must first enter into a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Igbo nation, stressing that such agreements must be made public through credible and verifiable platforms.

This resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a meeting of Igbo leaders under the IAD platform on Wednesday in Abuja. The gathering, he noted, reflected on the absence of a unified Igbo political front since the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970.

The communiqué strongly condemned what it described as decades of ridicule, marginalisation, and alienation of Ndigbo in Nigeria’s political system, insisting that the trend must end.

The leaders also lamented the declining voter turnout among Ndigbo in recent elections and resolved to rekindle political consciousness through mass mobilisation and civic education. They reaffirmed that the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) remains the strongest tool of political empowerment—more effective than violence or armed struggle.

According to the resolutions, the IAD will establish a robust Igbo National Grid, bringing together credible Igbo associations, unions, professional bodies, and diaspora groups into a coordinated structure for political mobilisation, economic empowerment, and cultural renaissance.

“The time has come for Ndigbo to redeem, reassert, and reclaim their rightful place in Nigeria’s political and economic space through unity, resilience, and strategic engagement,” the communiqué, read by Okorie, stated.

He further stressed that Igbo leaders, regardless of political party, faith, or persuasion, must work collectively to safeguard the interests of the Igbo nation.

“Even if an Igbo son or daughter is running for president, he or she must also sign such an MoU with us. Igbo votes can no longer be taken for granted. Empty promises—like telling us that Igbo land will be turned into an air-conditioned zone while in reality heat consumes us—will no longer be tolerated,” Okorie said.