John Azuta-Mbata elected Ohanaeze Ndigbo president-general

John Azuta-Mbata, a former senator, has been elected as the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. 

Azuta-Mbata, who represented Rivers east in the senate from 1999 to 2007, was elected at a meeting of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation in Enugu state on Friday.

The association also elected other new executives to run its affairs for the next four years.

Azuta-Mbata succeeds Fidelis Chukwu as the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Chukwu, an Imo state indigene, was appointed in December to complete the tenure of Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who died on July 25, 2024.

Iwuanyanwu was named president-general of the group after the demise of George Obiozor in 2022.

Iwuanyanwu and Obiozor were both natives of Imo state.

The presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo rotates among the states of the south-east and Rivers state. It is currently Rivers state’s turn to hold the position.

WHO IS AZUTA-MBATA?

Azuta-Mbata was born in January 1960 and earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Ibadan, Oyo state.

During his tenure in the senate, he served in different committees, including defence, works and housing, women affairs, finance and appropriation, and information, among others.

In 2005, Azuta-Mbata was among three lawmakers arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged involvement in an N55 million budget bribe scam.

They were freed of the allegations in 2019 — 14 years later.

S.E Aladetoyinbo, the presiding judge of the high court in Abuja at the time, said the suit filed by the ICPC lacked witnesses to prosecute the charge.