November 10, (THEWILL) – The Eze-elect of Ndegwu community in Imo State, Chief Nicholas Ojinaka, has refuted recent reports alleging he spent N12 million in a bid to secure autonomy for his community.
Describing the claim as false, Ojinaka dismissed it as a fabrication by certain online media outlets he says attempted to blackmail him.
In a discussion with journalists in Owerri on Sunday, he expressed shock over what he described as “deliberate falsehood” propagated by those he refused to submit to.
Clarifying his position, he stated that he did not unilaterally declare himself as Eze-elect but instead won in a community election supervised by Imo State Independent Electoral Commissioner Charles Ohiri and Chief of Staff to Owerri West Local Government, Mr. Oliver Emeyonu, on November 5, 2022.
Following his election victory, Ojinaka and over 500 community members were received at the Owerri West council by then Sole Administrator, Engineer Victor Osigwe, who acknowledged his win.
Ojinaka was also awarded a certificate of recognition by the electoral team, reinforcing his status as the legitimate Eze-elect of Ndegwu.
“Where did they get this N12 million figure from? It’s an insult. I have never spent such an amount on the election. My people believed in me and voted without any quarrel or dispute afterward. The claim is a complete fabrication,” he said.
He added that those questioning his legitimacy represent a minority within the community, all from the same village, and have continuously raised petitions in a bid to delegitimize his position.
He urged the public and the people of Ndegwu to ignore these claims and instead focus on unity for the progress of the community.
Meanwhile, the Ndegwu community leaders have reaffirmed their confidence in Ojinaka as their Eze-elect while awaiting his official recognition by the state government.
President General of Ndegwu, Oluchukwu Iroegbulam, emphasised that Ojinaka’s victory was indisputable and reflected the will of the people.
