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The President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, has pushed back against criticism, declaring that his Igbo heritage remains an integral part of who he is. He maintained that the attacks directed at him were the result of misinterpretations rather than genuine concerns.
Speaking in Port Harcourt on Monday during a visit from the Opobo Elder Statesmen-4-Sim group, Senator John Azuta-Mbata reinforced his support for Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. He stressed his deep respect for the office of the governor while also reaffirming his Igbo identity in response to recent criticisms.
Rejecting the wave of criticism directed at him, Senator John Azuta-Mbata dismissed the backlash as mere “noise” from those who misunderstood his decisions. His appointment as President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo had ignited tensions among his Ikwerre kinsmen in Rivers State, culminating in the Ogbakor Ikwerre’s decision to strip him of all traditional titles.
Mbata, speaking on Tuesday, reiterated his mission to unite diverse ethnic groups, stressing that his leadership aimed at building connections rather than fueling discord.
He said, “I see my responsibility as building bridges. We must connect our people to a much larger platform for development.
“Some people say they are from Benin, that their ancestry is Benin.
Read also: Mbata’s Emergence As Ohaneze PG Proved Enemies Wrong – MASSOB
And I say, ‘that’s fine. Let’s go there’. We say that we have a relationship with the Igbo. I’m not going to deny my Igbo identity. Anyhow you like, talk from now till tomorrow, I’m not going to deny my ancestry.”
He assured that the controversy would eventually subside and emphasised the importance of unity within Nigeria.
Mbata stated, “We must operate at the highest stage of this Nigerian project… Politics is played from Abuja and not here.”
Earlier, the Chairman of Opobo Elder Statesmen-4-Sim, Edwin Cockeye-Brown, congratulated Mbata on his election as Ohaneze President-General and praised him for his unwavering support for Governor Fubara, especially during the impeachment attempt.
He also traced the longstanding relationship between the Mbata family and the Opobo people, crediting Mbata’s political success to his father’s legacy.
In his remarks, the Rivers State Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Livingstone Wechie, described the visit as historic and prophetic, celebrating Mbata’s leadership for over 100 million Ndigbo worldwide.
