Ohanaeze: Controversy trails Mbata’s election as President General … Omenazu, Okwukwu emerge factional PG, backed by IPOB

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The emergence of Senator John Azuta- Mbata as the 13th President General of the apex pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo been challenged by the group’s former scribe, Uche Okwukwu.
Okwukwu was also elected President-General of Ohanaeze by a faction of the group in another election held in Rivers State.
He kicked against  the election held in the old Government Lodge in Enugu, saying it was an aberration and against the practice of Ohanaeze.
According to him: “The election that brought me in as the president-general was conducted in Rivers State, in line with Ohanaeze’s tradition that election is held where the state producing the president-general hails from.”

He noted that in 2017, Enugu State hosted the election when it produced the president-general, while in 2021, Imo State did the same, saying, “This time, the election was held in Port Harcourt, and I emerged victorious.”

“We heard that some governors went to Enugu Government House, and an election notice was issued there. But Ohanaeze elections are not held in government houses; they are decided by a general assembly.”

Okwukwu tackled Mbata on his membership of Ohanaeze before he could be elected it’s president general.
“Can someone who has never attended any Ohanaeze meeting or demonstrated membership be declared president-general? Ask him if he can boldly stand and say that he is an Igbo, and that Ikwerre people are Igbo as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Saturday congratulated Uche Okwukwu on his emergence as President-General of the apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

IPOB also charged Southeast governors and Ohanaeze’s Ime-obi against subverting the choice of the people due to selfish political interests.

Barrister Okwukwu, also from Rivers State, had earlier been announced as the new President-General by a faction of the organisation.

However, the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, said South-east governors have engaged in activities aimed at sabotaging the progress of Igbo nation.

According to Powerful: “The noble family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu hails the election of Barr. Uche Okwukwu as Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General.

“We equally call on the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Governors and Ohanaeze IMEOBI not to subvert the clear choice of the people or subject it to usual selfish political interests.

“Not content with entrenching and directly benefiting from the insecurity ravaging parts of Igboland, South-East governors have once again demonstrated their utter disdain and disrespect of the wishes of the majority of Igbos worldwide by engaging in activities clearly designed to sabotage the progress of our race at this critical juncture in our history.

“If the reports making the rounds are confirmed that these governors, led by Hope Uzodinma has openly rejected the legitimate and popular choice of the people in the person of Barr. Uche Okwukwu then that chaos their masters have for long been seeking to infuse into the socio-cultural and political framework of Igboland would have materialised.

“These governors have overstepped the boundary of decency and have gone a step too far in their shameful effort to impose yet another politician on the people. If these governors fail to retrace their steps, IPOB will openly align with our religious leaders in deploying all of its might to ensure that none of them will ever be reelected nor occupy any position of influence in our land ever again.

“Vox populi vox Deu. The voice of the people is the voice of God. And our people in Rivers State have spoken resoundingly that Barr. Uche Okwukwu is their choice to lead the apex Igbo organisation in the world. No Jupiter will overturn that.”

The controversy surrounding the election is unending as another claimant, Jackson Omenazu, also says he is the new president-general of Ohanaeze. He trashed Mbata’s election in Enugu as an act of lawlessness.

“I am not bothered by what happened. I remain the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The election process  in Enugu was flawed, and they did not follow the guidelines,” he said.

According to Omenazu: “Ohanaeze belongs to the people, and I have taken it back to them. There’s no turning back.”  declared.

However, the newly appointed National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Ezechi Chuckwu, said: “Ndigbo massively came out, representing different sets of opinion, academia, and religious institutions as well as different organised bodies, both home and abroad and converged on Enugu to elect an able president-general in the name of John Azuta Mbata.

“There is no doubt that the president-general will do everything within his power to bring peace and unity to Igboland during his tenure. It is not even a question of people declaring for the presidency without having a general assembly.”

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu, the host state, called for a strong and united front by Ndigbo, urging all to put the Igbo interest above narrow interests and partisan politics.

“We may be gathered here for the crucial task of electing members into the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, but this epic event yet offers room for introspection, regarding the noble vision that inspired our forebears towards its founding.”

President Bola Tinubu has since congratulated Senator Mbata on his election as the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

In a congratulatory message contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu wished the newly elected Ohanaeze Ndigbo president success as he takes on this onerous yet noble and lofty task.

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