2023 Presidential Race: Ohanaeze Says IPOB’s Agitation Won’t Favour Igbos

• As 2023 presidential race approaches, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) doesn’t represent the interest of the people of the Southeast region of Nigeria.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-political organisation, has stated that the agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) will in no way favour anyone in the Southeast region of the country.

According to the group, agitation by IPOB and its leader Nnamdi Kanu would affect the chances of the region in producing a President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in the 2023 presidential race.

Dimm Uche Okwukwu, Deputy President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who made this known, therefore, urged other Nigerians not to mirror Igbos from IPOB’s eye.

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Okwukwu said Igbos are peace loving people who are always willing to live in harmony with other Nigerians, adding that Kanu should be ignored because he attacks both Igbo and non-Igbo leaders.

Okwukwu’s words: “Marginalization has a way of producing results and you will agree with me that majority of the people are poor and marginalised.

“When you tell them what they want to hear, these poor marginalized people will follow you; but Nnamdi Kanu is not getting it right because he has subscribed to violence as a way and has not limited it to Igbo leaders.

“He has attacked Asiwaju in Lagos, Ekweremadu, Rotimi Amaechi; he has threatened to kill Igbo leaders and governors so he not only attacking outsiders; he is also attacking his Igbo brothers and sisters.

“The point I’m making is that we must consciously take Nnamdi Kanu and put him where he belongs. He is not an Igbo leader and cannot speak for Ndigbo.

“Igbos don’t subscribe to violence, anarchy, or destruction of lives and properties; this is my argument. Igbos are willing to live in harmony with other tribes in Nigeria.

“Igbos are saying 50 years after the war, allow an Igbo man to occupy the Presidency. Jonathan ruled for six years and Nigeria did not disappear; Yorubas have been in power, the North has ruled, now allow the Igbo. If you give them the presidency will they have any other argument tomorrow? Will they say Nigeria is marginalizing them? The answer is no because people will ask they were in the presidency for eight years what did they do with it.

“Kanu’s agitation will certainly to a large extent affect our chances. Nnamdi Kanu’s agitations, pronouncements, actions, omissions and commissions affects us in one way or the other.

“He is preventing voters’ registration in Igbo land, he is asking supporters to destroy their PVC. So, apart from the fact that Nigeria needs us to some extent, they mirror us through Nnamdi Kanu’s actions.

“The outcome of his action is jeopardizing our desire because when you say people should destroy their PVCs and not participate in voters’ registration, it affects us, I won’t deny that in one way or the other.

“However, I’m appealing that nobody should mirror the Igbos through the actions of IPOB.”

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