A group known as the Igbo Mandate Congress has accused South-East Governors of hijacking the recent Ohanaeze Ndigbo elections. In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Director-General, Rev. Obinna Akukwe, the group claimed that the governors secretly orchestrated the event, keeping the election venue confidential until the last minute. They also warned earlier that the governors intended to install a Senator from Rivers State as president.
Senator Azuta Mbata was eventually declared the new President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. According to the statement, the election’s venue was not disclosed until the morning of the event, when delegates were informed that it would take place at the Old Governor’s Lodge in Enugu. At the venue, police and DSS teams were stationed with lists of approved delegates and strict instructions to prevent anyone from entering unless they were on the list, which had been compiled by the governors.
The governors, the statement continued, instructed their allies to choose loyal representatives for the election from each state in the region, including Abia, Anambra, Enugu, and Imo. The delegates list remained confidential until the morning of the election, which prevented other candidates, such as former Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro, from accessing it.
Delegates chosen by the governors and their allies were reportedly told to go to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Headquarters to collect their accreditation tags and payments for their loyalty. Some delegates revealed that they were paid millions of naira, while others received hundreds of thousands, with the payments made via electronic transfers at either the Ohanaeze Secretariat or the Old Governor’s Lodge.
The Igbo Mandate Congress, which claims to have reliable intelligence in the South-East and Nigeria, had alerted activists and other candidates as early as January 6th about the governors’ plans to back a Senator from Rivers State over Okiro. The group urged them to take action to verify the list and secure their positions in the Ohanaeze National Executive Council.
Despite their efforts, the aspirants were outmaneuvered by the governors, who had successfully divided and weakened their opposition. The governors pushed Okiro to withdraw in favor of Senator Mbata, but Okiro initially refused. He later held a press conference announcing he would withdraw unless given legal redress. Okiro eventually showed up at the Ohanaeze Secretariat, where he was screened late in the evening, promising his supporters that he would await a court judgment to challenge the outcome.
By the time delegates began arriving at the Old Governor’s Lodge, Okiro had yet to receive any legal clarity. The Igbo Mandate Congress condemned the past actions of the governors, including their imposition of Chief Nnia Nwodo and other officers, and their more recent interference in the election process.
The group called on all Igbo stakeholders to hold the governors accountable and demand that they cease their involvement in Ohanaeze affairs.
