Tinubu congratulates new Ohaneze Ndigbo president, Sen. John Azuta-Mbata; South-East governors pledge strong support

 Jan. 10, 2025

President Bola Tinubu on Friday congratulated Sen. John Azuta-Mbata on his election as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Azuta-Mbata, a former senator, represented Rivers East in the Senate from 1999 to 2007, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s spokesman, said in a statement.

Azuta-Mbata was elected as president of the preeminent Pan-Igbo socio-cultural group at its meeting in Enugu on Friday.

President Tinubu also congratulated the group on the successful leadership transition and enjoined the new leaders to uphold the principles of their predecessors.

“The President recognises the critical role of socio-cultural organisations in nation-building; hence, his commitment to promoting dialogue among our ethnic nationalities.

“President Tinubu wishes the newly elected Ohanaeze Ndigbo president success as he takes on this onerous yet noble and lofty task,” said the statement.

In a related development, Governors of the South-East Zone have pledged unalloyed support for the new leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to enhance the development of the region.

The Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum, Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, made the pledge during the group’s General Assembly held in Enugu on Friday where new executives were elected.

Uzodimma congratulated Igbos for the new dawn, the harmonious manner, qualitative organisation and the conduct witnessed in the convention held in Enugu.

He lauded Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State for hosting the convention on behalf of the region.

“The governors of the southeast states came together and resolved to strengthen Ohanaeze Ndigbo and to give strong support to it.

“We also agreed to make it worthy of the dreams of the original founders and to discourage all forms of rascality, bad behaviour and conduct among the elected members and members of Ohanaeze.

“We will encourage those things that bring us together and shun those things that divide us as a people,” he said.

According to him, the governors of the region have agreed to work in unity to move the region forward.

“We have also decided that those to be elected into the new executives of Ohanaeze must have a second address and supported by their home state so that we have somebody to hold responsible in case of bad behaviour.

“The governors want Ohanaeze to unite as a family to look for homegrown solution to our problems,” the governor added.

Mbah, on his, part stressed the need for unity in the region, urging the people to put the Igbo interest above narrow interests and partisan politics.

He noted that the socio-political circumstances that gave birth to the pan-Igbo body were still in place in the country.

Mbah extolled the leadership pedigree of Igbo leaders such as Dr Michael Okpara, whom he said demonstrated so much, when patriotism, altruism, and sense of brotherhood were at the core of leadership.

“We may be gathered here for the crucial task of electing members into the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, but this epic event yet offers a room for introspection regarding the noble vision that inspired our forebears towards its founding.

“The ties that bind us run deep and transcend geographical boundaries, for we are bound by a common history and cultural heritage.

“From the Igbo Federal Union to the Igbo State Union and the Igbo Forum that later became Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 1979; the motivation had always been the desire to forge unity and deep brotherhood amongst the Igbo,’ Mbah said.

Also speaking, the outgoing President General of the group, Ozichukwu Chukwu, said the four years tenure for Imo had come to an end.

He said that the memories, lessons, and experiences would stay with members forever.

Chukwu said that a better, unified, vibrant, proactive, and resilient Ohanaeze would commence with a credible leadership recruitment process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sen Azuta-Mbata from Ikwere, Rivers State, emerged as the new President General.