Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos 2027 statement rejects circulating political incitement message and urges peaceful, lawful participation in upcoming elections

The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State, Chief Leo Okafor, also known as Oba Ojoto, has issued a strong counter statement distancing the organisation from a circulating message allegedly calling on “all Igbos” to engage in politically charged actions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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In a formal statement released on Thursday, 7 May 2026, the group described the message as a personal opinion that does not reflect the collective position of Ndigbo in Lagos, across Nigeria, or in the diaspora.

Chief Okafor emphasised that the Igbo community is not aligned with any form of political coercion or inflammatory rhetoric capable of dividing the country along ethnic lines.

“Ndigbo are a people of wisdom, enterprise, and democratic maturity,” the statement read, stressing that the community does not support reckless generalisations or attempts to drag it into partisan hostility.

The organisation urged members of the Igbo community to actively participate in the democratic process by registering with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in their respective locations ahead of the elections.

It further noted that possession of a valid Permanent Voter Card remains the only legitimate means of participating in the electoral process.

The statement also warned against the circulation of messages capable of inciting ethnic tension or disrupting national unity, describing such actions as dangerous and unacceptable.

Political engagement, it added, must remain a matter of personal conviction and informed choice rather than ethnic pressure or group mobilisation.

“Ndigbo are committed to peaceful coexistence, national unity, and responsible political engagement. We will not be used as instruments of division or instability,” the statement added.

Chief Okafor further cautioned individuals or groups allegedly promoting divisive narratives in the name of Ndigbo to desist immediately, warning of potential moral, communal and legal consequences.

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The statement concluded with a firm rejection of any attempt to associate the organisation with inflammatory political messaging, describing the message in circulation as unauthorised and misleading.