Biafra agitators from the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria do not appear to be in sync with the deepening agitation by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo group for the South-East geo-political zone to produce Nigeria’s next president in 2023.
While the new leadership of Ohanaeze is seeing a president from the geo-political bloc as a solution to the well-entrenched quest for self-determination there, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) does not agree.
For the new Ohanaeze leaders, the mandate handed over to them is to produce Nigeria’s president from Igboland in 2023. But, IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is insisting that only adoption of referendum as a solution will resolve Nigeria’s protracted ethnic problems.
Kanu who spoke IPOB Spokesman, Emma Powerful, in a statement explains that it will afford the people the opportunity to come together to decide on their coexistence.
“A referendum or plebiscite remains the best tool to determine the fate of the masses not the dictates of half educated semi-literate, corrupt politicians in Abuja. We agree with most of the germane issues raised at the webinar conference organised by Nzuko Umunna which further exposed some of the atrocities committed against Biafrans in the genocidal war 51 years ago.
‘’This was purely to let them know that we have not forgotten what they did to our fathers and mothers between 1966 and 1970.”
At a webinar conference organised by Nzuko Umunna on Thursday, Kanu warned Nigerian leaders that youths are still angry over their bad leadership.
“From the sensible contributions of eminent Nigerians in that gathering, it’s now obvious to the Fulani ruling cabal running the country that no one is happy with what is happening. Those frank observations emanated from the few prominent and respected Nigerians including politicians and religious leaders.
“This is a reminder to those thinking that they have pocketed Nigeria to stop living in self delusion. The youths of Nigeria are rising to rescue the country from those who have taken it hostage. Biafra will soon bid farewell to the contraption and no force can stop this divine movement.
“IPOB is perfecting arrangement to ensure that Biafra is restored without another war but if our oppressors refuse to heed our calls for referendum, then they will later realize that IPOB is determined to pay whatever sacrifice to free our people from this bondage.”
In the mean time, some concerned Igbo leaders are pushing for broader support for Prof. George Obiozor, the new President General of Ohanaeze, calling on those who think Obiozor is a stooge of President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, and All Progressives Congress (APC) to give him a chance.
For them, the only aim is to convince Nigerians to consider Igbo for 2023 because Ohanaeze has been tasked to carry and portray the awareness and consciousness of the Igbo.
In their view, there is no need to delay or coming up with a new mandate. It was an election and some people lost, it will take time for them to come around but they will when they see our achievement. There is no time to be negative about the goal.
Ohanaeze is however, very hopeful that it will achieve the Igbo mandate. ‘’The mandate is an already started one and it is very clear to all of us. It is an unwritten agreement that must be achieved”, Ohanaeze activist says.
