Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has clarified that no Igbo person is barred from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Naijaonpoint reports that the President-General of the group, Azuta Mbata, made this known in a statement personally signed on Wednesday night.
Mbata dismissed as false a recent media report suggesting that the body had barred Igbos from vying for the presidency in the next general elections.
He said, “Any Igbo person who belongs to a political party and wants to contest any elections whatsoever in 2027 is free to do so. Any publications to the contrary is fake news, did not originate from Ohanaeze Ndigbo and should be discountenanced by the entirety of Ndigbo.”
The Ohanaeze leader emphasised that the organisation is a socio-cultural body, not a political party, and therefore cannot dictate who contests elections in Nigeria.
He added, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is a socio-cultural organisation of Ndigbo and not a political party. As such, Ohanaeze is not in a position to say, dictate or even advise on who should and should not contest elections in Nigeria in 2027 or at any time for that matter.”
Mbata urged Ndigbo to continue their lawful political activities within the parties of their choice.
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