The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Igbo, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Thursday disowned the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and his movement, IPOB.
The President-General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nwodo, announced this while addressing the members of the Anambra State House of Assembly at the Legislative Complex, Awka, Anambra State.
Nwodo, who was particularly embittered by IPOB’s call for the boycott of the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November, said Kanu had breached the undertaking he took before him (Nwodo) when he was released from detention.
He said, “I’m just being paternal. The way I commended them as my children, is the way I have the right to chastise them when they go wrong. We don’t need this heating up.
“News that reached us in the past few days that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, has declared that there will be no election in Anambra State in November is shocking and disturbing. I hereby countermand that declaration as President-General of Ohanaeze.
“Whereas Ohanaeze understands the marginalisation and unfair treatment of Igbo which have given rise to self-determination movements in Igboland, leaders of these movements must not arrogate to themselves the supreme leadership of Igboland.
“Statements of the kind credited to Nnamdi Kanu are provocative, misleading and unproductive. Why should Anambra people be denied the opportunity to choose their own leader? Why should any of us who are not from Anambra, no matter how highly placed, descend into the arena and dictate for the Anambra people when to vote, whether to vote or who to vote for?
“Anambra, nay Igbo, are still part and parcel of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yes, we are not happy with our treatment in Nigeria. Yes, some of us want Biafra. Yes, some of us prefer a restructured Federal Republic of Nigeria. But the fact remains that we are still part and parcel of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria, bound by its laws, no matter how repressive or unjust.
“Our approach to reforms of our laws, even if it leads to self-determination or restructuring, must be lawful. We must convince other Nigerians of our point of view, we must strive to make others share our convictions.
“Our language must be civil, respectful and lead to consensus building. We must resist any attempt to turn division amongst us, as to which way we must go, become a source of altercations between us.
“As we speak, very many of our people living in northern Nigeria are in complete awe and consternation regarding how safe they will be after October 1st. Other northerners living amongst us are also worried.
“The Inspector-General of Police has taken public notice of Nnamdi’s comments inviting a possible invasion of Anambra by the Nigeria Police, increasing the already existing siege of our people which lead to daily extortion on our highways. All these developments have arisen out of unguarded utterances.
“I find no venue more suited for the statements I make here. Every constituent part of Anambra is represented here. I believe that the honourable members here are competent enough to carry the Ohanaeze message to every nook and cranny of Anambra State.”
Nwodo, who said the organisation would visit other Houses of Assembly in Igbo-speaking states, said, “We are happy with the peace that exists here. We are happy with the steady progress that Anambra has registered over the years. The next election can only improve not retard it.”
Earlier, the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Legislative Matters, Chief Chiedozie Ezeugwa, had said the state government was committed to the Igbo cause and would continue to do everything to support the Ohanaeze in protecting the interest of Igbo.
In their speeches, the Speaker of the Anambra Assembly, Mrs. Rita Mmaduagwu, and a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh, said the Igbo should avoid disunity in whatever cause they would pursue in the prevailing circumstance, adding that the time to listen to the Igbo had come.