KINGSLEY EBERE
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State chapter has accused the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Distinguished Senator John Azuta-Mbata, of double standards and inconsistency in handling the chapter’s leadership election.
In a public notice signed by the Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, Comrade Mike Orji, the chapter released a 2025 voice note allegedly from Senator Mbata, in which he mandated the then President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, to conduct elections in Lagos after the expiration of the consent judgment in April 2026.
According to the notice, Senator Mbata was also quoted in the 2025 recording as saying: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu will never come to Lagos to conduct election”.
Acting on that directive, the Lagos chapter said it conducted its election in line with the Constitution and Lagos State Ohanaeze Bye-law under the supervision of Lagos stakeholders.
However, the chapter alleged that in 2026 Senator Mbata made a “complete turnaround”.
“He now says he will NOT recognize the election that was conducted based on his 2025 directive. That Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu will now come to Lagos to conduct election,” the statement read.
The Lagos chapter questioned the inconsistency:
“What manner of inconsistent leadership is this? Senator Mbata, what has changed between 2025 and 2026? How can a President General give a directive in 2025, and in 2026 deny that same directive and attempt to overturn the result?”
The statement described the development as “confusion” and “destabilization,” and asked: “Why is Senator Mbata determined to destroy Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State?”
The Lagos chapter affirmed that the election conducted under the PG’s 2025 directive is “valid and constitutional” and rejected any attempt to “import external forces to invalidate the will of NdIgbo in Lagos”.
“Ndigbo deserve consistency, truth, and respect for due process. Lagos is not a colony. The will of Ndigbo in Lagos State must be respected,” the notice concluded.
The group urged all Ndigbo worldwide to listen to the attached 2025 voice note and judge for themselves.
Efforts to reach Senator Mbata for reaction were not successful as at press time.