George Obiozor, a former Nigerian ambassador to the US, has been elected the president-general of Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo.
The election which was conducted in Owerri, Imo State on Sunday saw Obiozor emerge the winner after seeing off two other contenders for the position.
Obiozor was the Nigerian ambassador to the United States, from 2004-2008.
Prior to the election, there were reports making the rounds that Obiozor had been chosen as the consensus candidate but the outgoing president, John Nwodo debunked supporting any candidate for the position.
Nwodo in a statement said, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a spurious, mendacious and malicious news item making the rounds that a candidate has been chosen to occupy the post of the President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, which by rotation, is now the turn of Imo State,”
“The speculation could have been ignored for the chaff it is but for the fact that it impinges on the solid and time-tested tradition of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in choosing its leadership and the integrity of its present President-General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo.
“The truth of the matter is that posts in Ohanaeze Ndigbo are rotational and positions zoned to states. It is the responsibility of states to choose their candidates which they may prune down for their convenience.”