FRESH leadership crisis is brewing in the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, following alleged plot by the Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue led executive to elongate her tenure in office by another two years.

According to the current constitution of the organization, the tenure of the Uwaechue led executive, which came on board January last year, is expected to elapse by January 2011 while the succeeding executive is to emerge in a fresh election to be held by November this year.  The new leadership is expected to be sworn in by January next year.

But sources at the Ohanaeze executive meeting held in Enugu Thursday said instead of tabling the proposed election for discussion, the President-General, Ambassaor Uwaechue sought the support of the executive members for the implementation of the recommendations in the amended constitution by Prof Elochukwu Amucheazi committee on tenure of office.

The development was said to have led to a shouting march among the members and the disruption of the meeting.

Some of the executive members who opposed the President_General’s proposal, viewed it as an attempt to elongate his stay in office after they had suspended the amended clause in the constitution for tenure elongation until the office of President General of Ohanaeze rotates among the Igbo speaking states for a period of two years.

It was learnt that Uwaechue had while moving for the adoption of the amended constitution  reasoned that it was borne out of the “approaching election of the country”, stressing that Ohanaeze could not afford her own election at a time the nation was holding another round of general elections.

He stated that there was need to ensure that the leadership of the organization remained focus and make the needed inputs that could lead to a peaceful exercise, stressing that engaging in an election when the country was holding general elections was not the best.

“As soon as the President_General moved the motion, a sharp division arose among the participants who resorted to a shouting march with the members accusing each other of selfish interests as well as corruption.  The confusion forced the meeting to close abruptly.

Those against the move insisted that past executives of the organizations have emerged irrespective of the national elections in the country.  They cited the Dozie Ikedife led executive which emerged few months to the 2007 general election,” the source said.