Ohanaeze reveals gov Ikpeazu preferred candidate for presidential election

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has spoken on the preferred candidate of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for the forthcoming presidential election.

The Igbo sociopolitical group said reports that the governor is supporting the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu are untrue.

It implored Nigerians to disregard the reports, stating that Ikpeazu is backing the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and not Tinubu.

The Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said enemies of Igbos are behind the fake news of Ikpeazu supporting Tinubu instead of Obi.

Isiguzoro said Ikeazu would never support Tinubu due to competence, equity and justice.

The statement reads: “Ohanaeze wishes to urge Ndigbo to disregard the fake news being currently peddled that Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, the Abia State Governor is supporting the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Ordinarily, it is not the duty of Ohanaeze, the Igbo apex socio-cultural organization to respond to such. However, we view this fabricated story as an attempt by enemies of Ndigbo to sow discord and suspicion among the ranks of Igbo leaders, at this eleventh hour, with the 2023 presidential election a few days away.

“From our records, Dr Ikpeazu is among the Igbo Governors that have been very supportive of the presidential campaign of Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, based on the fact that he believes in supporting competent candidates, regardless of party affiliations.

“He also believes that Nigeria can only become great if it is run on the basis of equity, justice and fairness. That is the basis of the disagreement of the G-5 Governors with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate.

“He has never hidden his support for the Igbo presidency project. Also, Ikpeazu has been a bastion of support to the Obidient movement in Abia State. He has had interactions with their leaders in the past and even recently appointed some of them as his aides.

“Unlike some other Igbo states where Obidients are being harassed and intimidated, the reverse is the case in Abia State. In the spirit of Igbo brotherhood, he even provided logistics for Obi’s recent campaign activities in Abia State, including venue.

“Finally, we wish to assure these enemies of Ndigbo and their hired Igbo collaborators that their scheme has failed woefully. Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges all Igbo Governors, Igbo leaders and the entire Igbo nation to keep supporting Mr Peter Obi, based on competence and equity.”