The Media Office of Senator Austin Akobundu has criticised Eze Iheanyichukwu Nwokenna, the Oba I of Ekeoba, over a reported description of the mandate of the senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District as a “stolen mandate.”
In a statement dated September 22, 2026, the media office said it was in possession of a video in circulation in which Nwokenna allegedly made the remark during a meeting convened by a former senator representing the district.
The statement described the comment as inappropriate for a traditional ruler and questioned why the convener allegedly laughed rather than caution the traditional ruler.
According to the media office, the former senator had previously challenged the outcome of the Abia Central senatorial election through the courts but lost at the appellate level. It further alleged that subsequent attempts to revisit the judgment were dismissed, with costs awarded against him.
The statement specifically referenced an alleged ₦5 million fine imposed by the Court of Appeal following an application seeking a review of its judgment, as well as a subsequent ₦2 million cost awarded by the Supreme Court.
The media office argued that describing the outcome of a concluded judicial process as a “stolen mandate” amounted to disparaging the judiciary.
It also accused the former senator of continuing to provide platforms for criticism of the judiciary three years after the legal proceedings, describing the development as a “sad commentary” on the state of public discourse.
The statement said the judiciary remained “the last hope of the common man” and warned against actions capable of undermining public confidence in judicial decisions.
Addressing Eze Nwokenna directly, the media office urged the traditional ruler to exercise restraint and decorum in his public utterances.
“Royalty is not cheap. He must uphold its lofty ideals at all times,” the statement concluded.
The allegations and characterisations in the statement are those of Senator Austin Akobundu’s Media Office.
