By IKECHI EVANS OSI
The recent election of Senator John Azuta Mbata as President – General Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo continues to generate controversy within the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality.
Senator Mbata, from Ikwerre in the Rivers East senatorial district, served in the National Assembly between 1999 to 2007.
Mbata was elected the 13th President of Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo at the old govt. Lodge Enugu with the governors of the 5 southeastern states and representatives from Rivers and Delta states in attendance.
In his acceptance speech, Senator Mbata expressed gratitude to delegates and promised to work towards the unity of the IGBO people.
His election makes him the first from Rivers State to lead the organization which is made up of Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi including Rivers and Delta states according to the organization.
Mbata was elected after the former Inspector General of Police Mike Okoro withdrew from the race following a court order which adopted a motion which demanded his state of origin . Okiro is from Imo State and the slot was zoned to Rivers State following the death of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
But in a swift reaction to Mbata’s election, the Rivers State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo through its publicity secretary, Hon. Owhonda Iheanacho Nwakanma said “senator Mbata is not and has never been a member of Ohanaeze. He has never attended meeting of the General Assembly or IME-OBI, neither has he canvased any known position on behalf of Ohanaeze or Ndi-igbo in general”.
The group said “the current President – General of Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo is Dimm Uche Chukwu Nnam Okwukwu, who for over 30 years had committed his life to the IGBO cause and in the past rose to the position of secretary – General Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo Worldwide”.
He went further to say “Dimm Uchechukwu Nnam Okwukwu was validly elected President – General of the Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo Worldwide at a general assembly held in Port Harcourt in accordance with the tradition, convention and the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo as opposed to the preposterous and bizarre assemblage at the Governors Lodge in Enugu whose illegal and false mandate Senator Mbata has been deceived to be believe that he is exercising ”
In a similar reaction, the Ogbakor Ikwerre has sanctioned Mbata for accepting the leadership position of the pan cultural organization. Stripping him of all honors bestowed on him having withdrawn his memberships of Ogbakor Ikwerre and declared him a stranger in Ikwerre land.
The group in a press statement signed by it’s President – General Dr. Godspower Onuekwa and Secretary – General Nyebuchi Philips said “Mbata, by exercising his fundamental human rights to join Ohanaeze, had renounced his membership of Ikwerre Ethnic group (Iwhuruoha).
Ogbakor Ikwerre said “Senator John Azuta Mbata has the inalienable right to belong to any association of his choice in Nigeria as enshrined in section 40 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
Having freely accepted the position of the President – General of Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo an exclusive organization of the IGBO people, he has willingly and freely renounced his membership and identity with the Ikwerre (Iwhuruoha).
The division within the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality continues to mount as even the former Ikwerre Governors of Rivers State, His Excellency Rotimi Amaechi and his successors His Excellency the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Ezenwo Wike differ over the issue of been part of the IGBO people.
Amaechi has once declared that he is Igbo and that nobody should deny him of his heritage while the FCT Minister Wike in an interview recently stated that he is not Igbo.
