Ohanaeze Ndigbo has lashed out at the immediate past president of its Lagos State chapter, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, for purporting that the apex Igbo body had dumped Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
It said the purveyor of such misleading claim was driven by personal interest, disclosing that there was recent change of guards in Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership in Lagos State, with the election of a new executive headed by Chief Sunday Ossai.
National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Dr.  Alex Ogbonnia in a statement in Enugu, yesterday, stated that Solomon Ogbonna had attempted to circumvent the Constitution of the organisation by plotting to elongate his four-year tenure.
According to him, Ossai, the winner of the keenly contested election conducted by a panel headed by Nze Ozichukwu, secured 380 votes while Chief Evaristus Ozonweke scored 339 votes.
He stated that the exercise was observed by Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Amb. Okey Emuchay; former President General, Prince Gary Igariwey and the President of Abia State Chapter of Ohanaeze, Okey Nwankwo, among others.
Ogbonnia said: “Information reaching Ohanaeze Ndigbo indicates that Aguene has secured a tenure elongation from a Lagos court. This is to say the least very deplorable.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo therefore informs the general public that the current President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State Chapter is Chief Sunday Ossai and only the Chapter President or an authorised officer of the current Lagos State Executive has the right to speak on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State Chapter. The general public is requested to disregard reckless statements by impostors, charlatans, unscrupulous social climbers and pretenders whose major objective is both mischievous and shady.”