The President-General of the Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator John Mbata, has reaffirmed his unwavering Igbo identity.
Rivers-born Mbata also dismissed recent criticisms of his emergence as the leader of the pan-Igbo group.
Mbata made the declaration while hosting the Opobo Elder Statesmen-4-Sim in Port Harcourt on Monday, where he reiterated his commitment to supporting Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and fostering unity among ethnic groups.
He stated, “Anyhow you like, talk from now till tomorrow; I’m not going to deny my ancestry. We are related. Why are you shouting me down?
“We must connect our people to a much larger platform for development. Politics is played from Abuja, not here. We must operate at the highest stage of this Nigerian project.”
Earlier, Chairman of Opobo Elder Statesmen-4-Sim, Edwin Cockeye-Brown, praised Mbata for his steadfast support of Governor Fubara, especially during the impeachment attempt, describing him as a “shining star.”