Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has refuted claims suggesting it warned former Anambra State governor Peter Obi against contesting the 2027 presidential election or advised northern leaders to withdraw their support for his candidacy.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group described the reports as “mischief-driven fabrications” manufactured by impostors bent on exploiting the organisation’s name for political gain.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been alerted to a misleading report circulating on social media alleging that the apex Igbo body warned Mr. Peter Obi against contesting the 2027 presidential election,” Chukwu stated.
“It also claimed that Ohanaeze cautioned the North against backing his candidacy. We wish to categorically state that such a mischief-driven and misleading statement did not emanate from the dignified apex Igbo body.”
He went further to discredit those responsible for the misinformation, describing them as “clandestine starving street urchins who parade a phantom, ludicrous brown-envelope Ohanaeze, with POS as their address.”
The group emphasized that the authentic leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, currently helmed by Senator John Azuta Mbata as President-General, alongside Prince Okey Nwadinobi (Deputy President-General) and Emeka Sibeudu (Secretary-General), has not taken any position regarding the 2027 elections and would never issue such “ignominious” remarks about a prominent Igbo son.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is committed to the wellbeing of the Igbo nation and national development through justice, fairness, and equity,” the group affirmed.
It further reiterated that Ohanaeze remains non-partisan, maintaining its historical stance of not endorsing any political candidate for national office, and urged the public to ignore statements from “incurable mercenaries unconscionably parading the Ohanaeze brand to execute the pecuniary bidding of their political paymasters.”
