Okowa’s ‘N200m Debt To Ohanaeze Blackmail’ – Dr Ogbonnia

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By Adadainfo

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has denied being owed the sum of N200m by the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

Ohanaeze’s reaction followed a statement from one Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, alleging that Okowa ‘owes Ohanaeze Ndigbo an aggregate debt of more than N200m’. Igboayaka is the national president of Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC.

Igboayaka had written that, “Gov Ifeanyi Okowa’s vice-presidential position has made Ndigbo doubt and neglect him because of his unsupportive attitude toward Ohanaeze Ndigbo even as a governor’.

Ohanaeze clarified this through a statement by its national publicity secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia.

According to the statement, “The foregoing statements are attributed to one Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka.

In the first place, the said OYC is unknown to Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and does not and cannot secure the mandate to speak on its behalf.

“We have at various times pleaded with the Igbo youths to realize that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a hallowed name that represents a lot for the Igbo nation and that publications for public consumption in the name of Ohanaeze should be properly weighed against its widest implications.

“While the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, a seasoned diplomat and scholar, frowns at the failure by some eminent sons and daughters of Igbo land to conscientiously fulfil their moral obligations towards the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, it neither contemplates nor considers the use of blackmail as a civic virtue.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo therefore urges the general public to disregard the other unguarded impetuous remarks by the youth as true to type.”