The factional leader of the Igbo apex socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Uche Okwukwu, said he was elected President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo at its delegates meeting held in Port Harcourt on January 9, 2025.
He said, he knew nothing about the election in Enugu State that produced John Azuta-mbata as President General.
Azuta-mbata was announced as President General after an election that was witnessed by Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra), Alex Otti (Abia), and Hope Uzodimma (Imo) on January 10.
However, shortly after the announcement, Okwukwu told Arise TV that an Ohanaeze election held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on January 9 and spilled into the early hours of January 10.
According to him, the election, which aligned with the tradition of the organisation, produced him as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
While dismissing the Enugu election, Okwukwu said the state was not eligible to hold the election since it was not its turn to produce the President General.
He stated that in 2017, the Ohanaeze election was held in Enugu because it was the turn of the state to produce the President General.
He said the same thing happened when it was the turn of Imo State which produced the President General after it hosted the election in 2021.
Okwukwu then wondered why an election was held in Enugu when it was clearly the turn of Rivers to produce the organisation’s leadership.
He added, “I don’t know of any election held in government house in Enugu. It is not in line with our tradition.
“You don’t hold election in government house. How do you expect delegates to come in?
“Elections even in political parties are not held in government house of Aso Rock.”
He stated that the delegates and returning officers that would have legitimized the Enugu election were in Port Harcourt.