18th February, 2023
The apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has described as worrisome the sit-at-home and total lockdown order proclaimed over the Southeast by Simon Ekpa, a member of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB based in Finland.
Ekpa had warned the people of the South East not to participate in the presidential poll scheduled for February 25.
The controversial IPOB member had insisted that the Igbo people of Southeast are more interested in seceding from the country rather than participate in any election. He had consequently declared stay at home across the region during the period of the election with warning that any violation of the order would be met with dire consequences.
But Ohanaeze Ndigbo urged the people of Southeast to resist sit-at-home order by Ekpa and others it described ‘anti Igbo’ group during the forthcoming election.
This was contained in a communique issued and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia at the end of an emergency meeting of the group’s National Executive Committee (NEC), on Friday in Enugu.
According to the communique, Ohanaeze, at the presided over by the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Secretary General, Amb. Okey Emuchay was particularly worried that Ekpa was planning to disrupt the election at a time there was general acceptance that the South East should produce Nigeria’s next president and an Igbo man, Peter Obi is enjoying support of Nigerians ahead of the presidential election.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo express shock and doubt that a true Igbo would unconscionably embark on a disingenuous duplicitous adventure aimed at denigrating, disenfranchising and decimating his people.
“The most disturbing is that the unscrupulous sit at home and total lock down order by Ekpa falls within the Nigerian general election.
“Ohanaeze stands firmly on natural justice and equity to proclaim that it is the turn of the South East of Nigeria to produce a president for Nigeria and by the irrevocable forces of providence.
“The right thinking Nigerians and the global community have embraced the virtues in Peter Obi as the most suitable, competent, visionary, inspiring and energetic presidential candidate for the forthcoming general election.
“It is therefore strange that at the very rare consensus and convergence of history, equity, public consciousness and expertise in Obi, an impetuous youth will engage in an unreflective drum-beat that draws his people to a macabre dance,” he said.
The publicity secretary said Ohaneze was curious that while the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful had dissociated IPOB from any sit-at-home in the South-East during the election period.
“We are urging residents to disregard the rumoured order making the rounds by the Simon Ekpa” and that “IPOB is only interested in the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu”.
“The Autopilot ignores the necessary landing permit by his people and Ohanaeze therefore urges the residents in Igboland to ignore the sit at home in its entirety,” Ogbonnia said.
The group lauded the interventions with the Finish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen by Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.
Others were Igbo Union in Finland, the general public especially the Youths and the reassurances of President Muhammadu Buhari with respect to security and a free and fair election in 2023.
The NEC used the opportunity to pass a vote of confidence on Emuchay as Secretary General of Ohaneze and its National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, for their selfless services for the Igbo nation.
Women from the South East had on Feb. 15 called on Ekpa to leave the people alone and urged everyone to resist the sit at home order.
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