Tag Archives: Ohanaeze

Biafra: Igbos feel unwanted in Nigeria – John Nwodo

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John Nwodo, president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, says if the marginalisation against the Igbo ends, Biafran agitators “will probably twice”.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Nwodo blamed the pro-Biafra agitation on an alleged marginalisation by the federal government

He said: “Our people feel unwanted in the Nigerian federation; our people feel ill-treated.”

According to him, the Igbo was seen as “being incompetent, incapable, or unreliable of being vested with the headship of any of the security agencies in Nigeria”.

Citing Boko Haram, Niger Delta militants and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), who he said had taken over territories or destroyed properties, the president-general wondered what the Biafran agitators had done to the government.

“Under the constitution of Nigeria, you have freedom of expression and freedom of association. If somebody says he wants Biafra, he is free to say so as long as he is saying it in a legitimate way. He can take his petition to the national assembly,” Nwodo said.

“He can have a plebiscite, if he wins, fine, if he doesn’t win, he takes it like that. The fact that we, their fathers, have not joined them should give a signal to Nigeria that they have not yet become so popular to carry us along and that this matter can be addressed politically.

“If they see this marginalisation end, if they see the restructuring of the country, they could probably think twice. There has been several failed negotiation which the federal government publicly admitted and millions of naira lost.

“I know of a militant organisation in this part (Niger Delta) called the Avengers, who are as angry as MASSOB and IPOB boys. They have destroyed wells, pipelines. I know the vice-president of Nigeria has visited three Niger Delta states seeking for peace and negotiation in order to keep their children calm.

“I know OPC in Western Nigeria, who is like a military force, saluted at every checkpoint. What has IPOB and MASSOB done to the federal government? Why are they being treated differently? Is this an animal farm where some are more equal than others?

“For that reason, I say to my brothers who are in MASSOB and IPOB, I am your brother and I extend my hand of fellowship. Come and let’s work together. I understand why you do what you are doing; I understand your anger, your frustration and your expectations. In spite of the crude methods they have used to suppress you, you have continued to move on. I feel so bad about our people.”

He said the Igbo people should realise that they were a special people like the Jews “who through dint of hard word transformed the desert to an arable land despite all their travails and security concerns”.

 

Source: The Cable

IPOB: Buhari Should Dialogue With Nnamdi Kanu – Ohanaeze Youths

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OHANAEZE Youths Council has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately begin direct negotiation with the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra [IPOB], Mazi Nnamdi Kanu with a view to releasing him.
Kanu is facing treasonable charges in an Abuja High Court and is being detained at the Kuje Prisons. Ohanaeze Youths Council urged the president to use the opportunity of the reported on-going negotiation between some Niger Delta groups and a representative of the Federal Government and talk with Kanu to free him. Kanu himself had last week through his lawyers said that he was open for dialogue with the government for a political resolution of the matter.
According to the National President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Federal Government should not allow this window of peace talk to pass it by. “This is a much-awaited opportunity which should be utilized to end the bitterness against the Federal Government by people of the South-East. “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow this golden opportunity slip off his hands. “It is our firm belief that Buhari will engrave his name as a hero of democracy if he utilized this opportunity to free Nnamdi Kanu,” Ohaneze Youths said. Isiguzoro, however, suggested that Kanu himself should be allowed to lead such a negotiation. “For the dialogue to be genuine and fruitful, Kanu should lead the IPOB delegation.
Nobody or group should negotiate on his behalf; this is to avoid a situation where the government will end up wasting time and resources. “If the government succeeds in this regard, it would no doubt endear it to Ndigbo and help in healing so many wounds.” Kanu’s lawyers advised to seek approval first Meantime, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, charged lawyers to the detained Director of Radio Biafra,Nnamdi Kanu, to seek approval from him first before dabbling into any negotiation for his release with the Federal Government.
MASSOB said it aligned with Kanu’s stance that, ”he’d rather die, than jettison the struggle for Biafra” after the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, had given the Federal Government, last week, conditions to end agitations in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones, wherein MEND, urged Kanu to renounce Biafra to regain his freedom. Kanu, who was arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS, upon arrival from the United Kingdom, has been in detention since October 14, last year, for alleged treasonable felony.
But frowning at the remarks from Kanu’s lawyers, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Amobi Nzelu, indicating that their client was not aversed to negotiations for his release, MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, in a statement to newsmen in Enugu, stated that, ”MASSOB supports the position of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as the leader of IPOB. “Approval for negotiation must be obtained first. MASSOB as a sister organization will always support every positive move that will effect the release of our Comrade, Nnamdi Kanu.
We will not accept any confusing steps which some groups even the defense counsels are making. “IPOB has quickly condemned the position of Kanu’s lawyers. We will never relent or succumb on the agitation for Biafra. We shall continue to forge ahead with the spirit of consistency and commitment in accord with other pro-Biafra groups. Nigeria should be tired and ashamed of Kanu’s continued detention”.
IPOB names released members In another development, IPOB, has reeled out names of their members who were granted bail at Umuahia Chief Magistrate’s Court last week, on the orders of the Federal Government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.
Among those granted bail, according to a statement signed by Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, are John Onyebuchi ‘M’ aged 52; Joseph Okorie ‘M’ aged 25; Ikechukwu Obi ‘M’ aged 35; Ifeanyi Okike ‘M’ aged 65; Ani Chimezie ‘M’ aged 62; Emeka Ezeugo ‘M’ aged 30 and Chibuzo Okpara ‘F’ aged 40?. “Others are Donatus Okeke ‘M’ aged 36; Okechukwu Nnebennum ‘M’ aged 34; Jude Aniche ‘M’ aged 48; Amos Nkemjika Ezekiel ‘M’ aged 43; Ngozi Onuora ‘F’ aged 30; Goodness Emeka ‘F’ aged 25; Nene Ekwueme ‘F’ aged 52; Amarachi Chukwu ‘F’ aged 22; Oluchukwu Bekee ‘F’ aged 48; Igwechukwu Ebuka ‘M’ aged 26; Okwudili Okafor ‘M’ aged 35; Nnadike Obasi ‘M’ aged 29 and Monday Ibejii ‘M’ aged 25.”
In the statement, Powerful noted that of these 20 detainees, 19 were released by the Umuahia Chief Magistrate Court on Thursday, August 11, while one of them was released before now with the efforts made by his family members, adding that they had all been given at the weekend. It would be recalled that the federal government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF had ordered the court to release the detained IPOB members who were arrested inside Aba High School, on February 9, this year during their prayer rally and charged to court.

Ohanaeze To Visit Buhari With Charter Of Demands

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo has resolved to visit President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with a charter of demands.The resolution was adopted after a meeting of some members at the private residence of one of their leaders in Enugu, yesterday. Among the issues they resolved to present to Buhari for urgent attention included the reconstruction of the Enugu- Umuahia- Port Harcourt Road, the Enugu- Onitsha express road, appointment of more Special and Senior Special Assistants or Assistants as Igbo are not represented in his government, as well as the completion of the Second Niger Bridge to end the ongoing agitation for Biafra Republic. Apart from these, they also resolved to ask the President to set up the Eastern Nigeria Development Commission, ENDC, to handle the issue of unemployment of Igbo youths which they said was responsible for the continued agitation for the Biafran Republic by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as reportedly requested by Governor Rochas Okorocha during the reconciliation meeting between the two former factions of Ohanaeze led by Chief Enwo Igariwey and Ralph Obioha respectively. Okorocha was alleged to have pledged to take “Ohanaeze to the river,” during the reconciliatory meeting of the two factions in Owerri, the Imo State capital about two weeks ago. Sources close to the meeting told Vanguard in Enugu that other matters which came up included the search for a new chairman of the group following the end of the tenure of present executive led by Igariwey. Meanwhile, IPOB members have reacted to the outcome of the Ohanaeze meeting, saying that “some Igbo politicians who are using IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu (its detained leader) or Biafra to get cheap popularity will fail and advised them to stop doing so with immediate effect.” In three separate statements, IPOB listed Igbo leaders like Chief T. A Orji, Rochas Okorocha, Emeka Offor, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, Ike Ekweremadu, Chukwuma Soludo, Ralph Uwazuruike, Okezie Ikpazu, Onwuka Ukwa as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo” as among individuals and groups working against its interest. According to IPOB, “the Ohanaeze Ndigbo was looking for access to Buhari for the selfish interest of its members adding that they were using the blood of dead Biafrans to enrich its members.” Those who signed the statements were Emma Mmezu and Clifford Iroanya.

Credit: Vanguard

Kano Igbo Not In Support Of Biafra– Ohanaeze

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The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Kano State Chapter, on Thursday, distanced itself from anything that had to do with activities of those agitating for the actualization of Biafra.

It also condemned the recent development which led to the torching of a mosque and the vandalisation of some vehicles at Sokoto Road, in Onitsha, Anambra state.

The President of Ohanaeze Kano Chapter, Chief Chris Chukwubuzor Azuka, said the Igbo people in Kano were not, in any way, in support of what was happening with regards to the agitation for Biafra. He said the move was politically engineered by some corrupt politicians to disrupt the peaceful co-existence of Nigeria and that those who are matching on the streets were criminals and enemies of the state and should be dealt with in accordance to the rule of law.

He remind the Igbo in the eastern part of Nigeria that they must realise the fact that the Igbo people were scattered throughout this great nation conducting legitimate businesses and living peacefully with their host communities that any wrong move taken over there like the attack on a place of worship and attacks on strangers or their properties could lead to reprisal attacks on the Igbo people living in other states, and, consequently degenerate into great crisis in the whole country.

Credit: DailyTimes

Don’t set agenda for Buhari, APC tells Ohanaeze

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The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Anambra, has warned Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a socio-cultural organisation of Igbo, to stop setting agenda for President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

This is coming after a statement credited to former Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Anambra, Dr Chris Eluemunoh asking the President to complete the second Niger Bridge.

 

 

In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of APC in Anambra, Mr Okelo Madukaife in Awka on Wednesday, he described Eluemunoh’s call as sheer ‘busy body.’

 

“Buhari does not need such reminder from anybody to do the right things for the people of the area.

 

“Buhari and Ndigbo do not need a selfish call from a hate campaigner working to confront Ndigbo with the Federal Government.

 

“They can do without those trying to drive a wedge for themselves in the guise of Ohanaeze activists.

 

“It’s the dream of Buhari government and all visionary persons in the South East, including every member of APC in the geopolitical zone, to see the completion of the second River Niger bridge.

 

“It is this project that many try to isolate and hype as second Niger Bridge and position it as a signature project for Ndigbo,” the statement read.

 

The statement also said “many politicians, particularly of the PDP stock, who enjoy the unflinching loyalty of Eluemuno, have taken this advantage to exploit Ndigbo.

 

“The exploitation cuts across government but got to a height under the Goodluck Jonathan administration,” he added.

 

It accused Madukaife of a recent hate campaign to drive a wedge between Ndigbo and the Presidency under Buhari.

 

“We, therefore, remind Eluemunoh whose partisanship has never been hidden, that Buhari does not need any reminders to do the needful on the completion of the bridge,” it said.

We Have No Regrets For Not Supporting Buhari, Ohanaeze Reveal Why They Backed Jonathan

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, said yesterday, that it had no regrets not supporting the ambition of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, who won the March 28, 2015 presidential poll.

Ohanaeze also flayed the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, over the death threat he allegedly issued to Igbo people residing in Lagos before the governorship election.

Speaking in an interview in Awka, the national treasurer of the group, Chief Damian Ogene, said the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation supported President Goodluck Jonathan because of what he described as Buhari’s negative antecedents to Ndigbo.

According to him, the rejection of Buhari during the presidential poll is to remind him of the injustices perpetrated against Igbo during his earlier tenure as military Head of State.

Read More: vanguardngr