By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA – The Abia State Traditional Rulers Council, has refuted a social media report that it suspended one of its members, HRH Eze Nnamdi Ofoegbu, over his support and affinity with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Linus Nto Mbah, who made the rebuttal on Saturday, explained that the suspension slammed on the monarch was “because of his insubordination and flagrant disregard to the instructions of the council”.

He dismissed the said social media report as a mischievous fabrication by propagandist to blackmail the Council and pitch the State Government against the President and the Deputy Speaker.

Eze Nto expressed dismay over such
“malicious and unfounded online news report”, and urged members of the public to discountenance it, saying it is a total falsehood.

The monarch explained that the content of the letter suspending Ofoegbu which he had earlier made available to the press, was not ambiguous and “did not mention Mr President nor the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.”

The letter of suspension dated 6th June 2025, read in part:” Consequent upon your consistent and flagrant disregard to the instructions of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers , with respect to your parading a parallel South East Traditional Rulers Council, (code named South East Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum, Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum),
causing rift amongst the traditional rulers of the South East, ably led by HRM Eze Dr. E.C. Okeke, and bringing Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers to disrepute and dishonour to the State Government. You are hereby suspended from the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers for six (6) months.”

Eze Mbah said:”So, let me reiterate that the letter that suspended him does not in any way suggest that it is because of his attitude or behaviour towards any political official, not even President Tinubu or Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, rather it is because of his disrespect to the Council’s instructions as regards to running a parallel association”.

He expressed surprise that “a sane reporter could have written and published such a falsehood to discredit Abia State Government and Abia State Traditional Rulers, and attempt to create acrimony between the traditional institution in Abia State and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.”