Ohanaeze Ndigbo denies asking Peter Obi to withdraw from 2027 presidential race

PAN-Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo has dismissed claims that it has advised former Anambra State governor Peter Obi to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race as it a non-partisan body that stays neutral in political matters.

With Nigeria due to go to the polls in two years time, the race for the 2027 presidential election is already heating up. Incumbent, President Bola Tinubu is expected to go for a second term and two of the c0ntestants who stood in 2023 in Governor Obi and former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, are expected to stand again.

Already, Governor Obi and Alhaji Abubakar have joined forced to launch a new alliance called the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is being touted as the opposition pooling its resources together. It remains to be seen if the ADC will be able to agree on a consensus candidate to stand against President Tinubu but Governor Obi is seen by many as the ideal opponent.

Over the last week, it had been rumoured that Ohanaeze Ndigbo not only advised Governor Obi to withdraw from the race but that it also urged northern leaders not to support his presidential ambition. In an unequivocal rebuttal of this rumour, Ohanaeze Ndigbo's publicity secretary Dr Ezechi Chukwu, described the claims as acts of mischief by street urchins.

Dr Chukwu said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been alerted to a misleading report circulating on social media alleging that the apex Igbo body warned Mr Peter Obi against contesting the 2027 presidential election. It also claimed that Ohanaeze cautioned the north against backing his candidacy.

"We wish to categorically state that such a mischief-driven and misleading statement did not emanate from the dignified apex Igbo body. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is committed to the wellbeing of the Igbo nation and national development through justice, fairness and equity. We remain non-partisan and have not taken any position on the 2027 presidential election or endorsed any candidate.”

According to Dr Chukwu, the statement was the handiwork of a group he described as clandestine starving street urchins who parade a phantom, ludicrous brown-envelope Ohanaeze, with POS as their address. He added that Ohanaeze Ndigbo, under the leadership of credible figures such as Senator John Azuta Mbata, Prince Okey Nwadinobi and Emeka Sibeude could not have issued such an ignominious statement.

Ohanaeze urged the media and the public to disregard statements from incurable mercenaries unconscionably parading the Ohanaeze brand to execute the pecuniary bidding of their political paymasters. So far, it is not yet clear who is behind the statement that was initially attributed to Ohanaeze Ndigbo.