A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain has described threats by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to attack Southeast governors as cowardly and an act of desperation.
PDP Chairman in Ebonyi State Onyekachi Nwebonyi, in a statement on Monday, said Kanu was not a freedom fighter but a businessman out to make money from Igbo politicians and businessmen.
He said real freedom fighters don’t run away but stay and fight to achieve their aim.
The statement reads: “The threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to attack governors of the Southeast, and particularly Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, whenever they travel abroad is punk and cowardly.
“It is a threat out of desperation by people who thought they could use the Biafra agenda for self enrichment. Unfortunately, the shenanigan did not pay off on the home front, though the Igbo in the Diaspora fall prey.
“IPOB is not fighting for the actualisation of Biafra and the name of the organisation suggests no such objective. Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group, is just out to make money from Igbo politicians and businessmen. He had thought he would get the governors and other politicians in the Southeast to fund his activities but that was not happening. His recent approach of attacking Igbo politicians who travel abroad arose from that unmet expectation.
“He is not genuine in his agitation. There are valiant men at home who could support him if he is genuine, but he chose to rely on miscreants whom he can easily deceive. If Nnamdi Kanu is a genuine freedom fighter, he should have taken a cue from notable freedom fighters, some of who paid the supreme price for their cause. Kanu should have stayed back to press home his demand for the emancipation of the marginalised people of Biafra. That is why I call him a coward. He should also remember that Igbo are not the only people of Biafra.
“And again, mentioning the governor of Ebonyi State for attack abroad shows that what the group wants is far from the emancipation of Igbo people. It is laughable that instead of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB to direct their vengeance of the Operation Python Dance 2 towards President Muhammadu Buhari and the Army, they ungratefully and cowardly chose to attack the very persons who ensured Kanu was released from prison. That is really cowardly and barbaric.
“Governor Umahi does not junket foreign lands ignoring his people. The transformation he has given Ebonyi State clearly shows that if all the governors of the Southeast had acted in the same way over the years, the region would have been a destination of some sort by now.”
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (ONYC) says IPOB has lost the Igbo consciousness.
It said IPOB’s bid to have a candidate from Northeast win the 2019 presidential election, which was not met, emboldened its anger against Igbo governors.
A statement yesterday by Ohanaeze’s Deputy President-General Obinna Achionye, reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide will expose all the commercial activities of IPOB, as it has done more damage to Ndigbo than it appears to salvage the situation the Igbo currently find themselves since 2015.
“IPOB lost Igbo consciousness before the 2019 elections as it was doing the political bid of politicians outside Igbo land, which they started with a Northeast presidential candidate. IPOB’s popularity before the 2019 elections waned when it destroyed its members’ Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and plotted the fall of Governors David Umahi, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu.
“We urge the Southeast governors to disregard any kangaroo committee set up to interface between them and the IPOB. There is no reason for a backyard settlement until IPOB openly apologises to Ndigbo.
“When the Southeast governors called its bluff over its antics, IPOB connived with enemies of Igbo to stage a failed revolution protest which was unsuccessful in the region. Now, they have resorted to a violent approach to do the bidding of a presidential hopeful from outside Igboland to bring down all presidential hopefuls in Igboland ahead of 2023.
“We know how a former minister from Anambra State persuaded a northern presidential candidate to use IPOB’s nuisance to hoodwink Igbo into voting for the politician after visiting Nnamdi Kanu in Israel. Nevertheless, we urge Southeast governors not to negotiate with Nnamdi Kanu. Their blackmail and settlement strategies are dead on arrival.”
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