Nnewi—The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has warned those who
are claiming to be representing the group, including the members of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its youth wing to stop such move, that nobody
speaks or represents them, unless such a person or persons are
designated officers of IPOB worldwide.
The group also said that its leader Mr. Kanu said he would rather die
in jail than for the Ohanaeze Ndigbo to claim the glory of his release
as he has no business with the Igbo Socio cultural organization.
”I will rather die in jail than for Ohanaeze Ndigbo to claim the glory of
my release,“ Kanu reportedly said.
IPOB in a statement signed by its United Kingdom spokesmen, Dr
Clifford Iroanya and Emma Mmezu, a lawyer said: “We are in court
and our wish is to expose the fraudulent charge of treasonable felony
before the whole world. At the end of this case, the corrupt and
compromised segment of the Nigerian judiciary will be publicly
disgraced.
“Our march to freedom is unstoppable; this is something Buhari ought
to know. We have come to die for Biafra if that is what it will take to
be free. Our resolve should not be underestimated. As our leader will
always say, “Nigeria will kill us, we will kill them but in the end, we
will win.”
IPOB reaction follows an alarm raised from Enugu yesterday by some
of the group's members that some people suspected to be Ohanaeze
Ndigbo and their youth wing were impersonating IPOB leaders in
Enugu, claiming to be representing IPOB in meeting with some
American officials who were in Nigeria to have a meeting with the
group on the release of their leader. IPOB officials said such a
negotiation would need the designated presence and contribution of
IPOB members, but they were not informed.
"The people went ahead to speak for IPOB when they do not have the
power and authorization of the group to speak for them.
"People alleged to be members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Ohanaeze
Youth wing were said to have met with some Americans at Nike Lake
Resort Hotel between 6pm and 7pm Saturday evening."
Information about the alleged meeting at the hotel was said to have
gotten the attention of the United Kingdom spokespersons of IPOB,
who felt embarrassed by the meeting and some of the demands the
people claiming to be representing IPOB said should be done for the
group for peace to reign.
“If any country or group is coming to Nigeria to discuss anything
concerning IPOB and the release or freedom of our incarcerated leader
and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnandi Kanu, it is not Ohanaeze
Ndigbo or their youth wing that will speak for us because they are not
our members and so, cannot represent or speak for us. We urged the
Americans who came for the meeting that the alleged representatives
of IPOB did not represent or have our support. Nobody speaks or
represents IPOB except its principal and designated officers.
“We learnt that they cornered some Americans who came to Enugu to
have audience with the IPOB over the way forward on the issue of
Biafra agitation and the continued incarceration of our leader Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu. We want to let the world know that they do not have
authority to speak or represent us. They are on their own and should
be ignored.
“We want to use this opportunity to tell the Americans that came and
the world that the people who claimed to have represented IPOB in the
meeting were impostors, they are not members of IPOB, they are the
usual Ohanaeze contractors who will always condemn IPOB, but will
be fast to hijack anything good that is coming to the South East states
through IPOB. They do not have our support and will never represent
us in anything.
“We want to tell the representatives of the American government who
met with them at Nike Lake Resort Hotel between 6pm and 7pm
Friday evening to ignore them and whatever discussion concerning
IPOB they had with them, because it does not represent our views or
demands as IPOB members” they said.
Denying allegation
But in a swift reaction, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, OYC, denied
that it was working to trade off MASSOB/IPOB, saying that it has
rather continued to work hard to secure the release of the detained
leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Reacting to the allegation that it held discussion with certain USA
Embassy Group on the Biafran agitation where it allegedly traded off
both MASSOB and IPOB, the group denied the allegation in a
statement which read: “The attention of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth
Council is drawn to a rumour peddled by some enemies of Ndigbo and
busy body alarmists to the effect that a USA-based delegation that
came to Nigeria held discussions with the National leadership of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council and at the purported meeting, the
Biafran cause was betrayed by the Ohanaeze Youth Council.
“This story and rumour is a blatant lie. Nothing like that happened.
It’s the figment of imagination of the rumour peddlers."
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council had been at the forefront of the
release of the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. They have
always stood and called on the Federal Government to be fair, just
and equitable to Ndigbo. They have interacted and continued to
interact with MASSOB/IPOB leaders with a view to finding an
amicable solution to the issue on ground.
“We call on all Igbos, MASSOB/IPOB members and Nigerians to
disregard the rumour which is completely false. We must continue to
seek for ways to address the issues and challenges confronting the
Igbo nation within the contest of a United Nigeria that is just equitable
and fair to all.
“We will not be deterred by the blackmail from enemies of Ndigbo in
other to distract us. Radio Biafra should cross check their facts before
broadcasting. Our advice to Biafra agitators in diaspora is to confirm
any Information before disseminating it as we believe that self
determination is a just cause but should be through referendum.
“Finally, dialogue is the best way of resolving conflicts, as we are the
major stakeholder in Igbo land, we are at the final stage to see
Nnamdi Kanu regain his freedom and no threatening calls and
messages from enemies of Ndigbo will ever distract Ohanaeze Ndigbo
Youth council worldwide from playing the same historic role the late
Senator Uche Chukwumerije played to release then Ralph Uwazurike
and Uche Madu from detention, as only political solution remains the
way to free Freedom Fighters worldwide.
“The National President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council
worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro will continue to work
assiduously with other stakeholders to see that Nnamdi Kanu regains
his freedom soonest”, the statement signed by the OYC Secretary,
Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said.
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
