Ahead of the 2023 elections, apex Igbo sociocultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has clarified that it did not endorse the APC presidential standard bearer, Bola Tinubu.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, June 21, by the Ohanaeze spokesman, Dr. Alex Chidozie Ogbonnia, in response to a report of endorsement attributed to Solomon Ogbonna, the former president of Lagos State Chapter.
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Dismissing the report, Ogbonnia said;
The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to the news making the rounds with a caption “Ohanaeze Ndigbo dumps Peter Obi, declares support for Tinubu”. The story added that “since the group was in support of a second term for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, there was nothing wrong in supporting his (Sanwo-Olu) presidential candidate.
The purveyor of the above remarks is Ohanaeze Ndigbo immediate past President in Lagos State, Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.
It further clarified that the endorsement of Tinubu was issued by Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, who was elected the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State chapter in June 2018 for a four year tenure, in line with the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
It further read;
Towards the end of 2021, information reached the national headquarters of Ohanaeze that Aguene was plotting a tenure elongation. Several eminent Igbo dignitaries urged Aguene to rescind the contemplation for an obnoxious tenure elongation and rather lend support for a fresh election for a new executive.
The organization, therefore, noted that the general public should disregard reckless statements by impostors, charlatans, unscrupulous social climbers and pretenders whose major objective is both mischievous and shady.
Ohanaeze believes that any person with a democracy credential will dissociate self with a person whose public conduct is at variance with democratic norms; and that the Aguene endorsement to a presidential candidate is hollow. It is therefore emphasized that the person who has the right and mandate to make statements on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos is the President, Chief Sunday Ossai.
For the avoidance of doubt, the misleading impression that “Ohanaeze dumps Obi” is from the pit of hell and meant to serve private interest. Such a statement is hereby vehemently debunked.
