Bianca Ojukwu Chieftaincy: APGA Media Warriors Forum Backs Soludo, Igwe Gibson Nwosu; Chides Ndigwe

By Our Correspondent

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Media Warriors Forum has dismissed as misleading and unfounded recent media reports alleging that Awka stakeholders warned Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, over the chieftaincy title conferred on former Nigerian Ambassador, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, by one Austin Ndigwe.

In a statement issued on Friday, the National Coordinator of the forum, Evangelist Chinedu Obigwe, faulted a publication titled “Bianca Ojukwu Chieftaincy: Awka Stakeholders Warn Soludo, Affirm Austin Ndigwe as Traditional Ruler,” describing it as a deliberate misrepresentation of facts and a calculated attempt to mislead the public.

Obigwe stated unequivocally that the position of the Soludo administration on the Awka traditional stool is clear, lawful, and firmly rooted in extant state laws, stressing that the only traditional ruler recognised by the Anambra State Government is His Royal Majesty, Igwe Gibson Nwosu.

According to him, traditional rulership in Anambra State is governed by established legal frameworks and procedures, which include formal government recognition.

“Anambra State is not a banana republic where anyone can wake up and assume the role of a traditional ruler without due process and government recognition,” Obigwe said.

He maintained that any individual parading himself as a traditional ruler without fulfilling statutory requirements and without government approval is an impostor and lacks the authority to perform traditional functions or confer chieftaincy titles.

The APGA Media Warriors Forum further asserted that the Soludo administration is acting appropriately in defending the sanctity of Igbo traditional institutions, warning that the government would not hesitate to invoke the law against anyone undermining constituted authority or desecrating revered cultural institutions.

On the controversy surrounding Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s acceptance of a chieftaincy title, Obigwe clarified that the former ambassador is eminently qualified to receive traditional honours, noting that she has, in the past, been honoured by duly recognised traditional rulers across the state without controversy.

He explained, however, that the present backlash arose because, according to the state government, the chieftaincy title was conferred by an individual not recognised as a traditional ruler under the law—an action the government considers a desecration of Igbo traditional institutions.

Obigwe urged the public to disregard what he described as an “amorphous group” laying claim to the status of Awka stakeholders, insisting that such a group does not represent the position of either the Anambra State Government or the legally recognised traditional institution in Awka.

He reaffirmed the forum’s unwavering support for Governor Soludo’s administration and Igwe Gibson Nwosu, describing them as defenders of due process, lawful authority, and cultural integrity in the state.