Ahead of Friday’s election of new officers of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned former Inspector General of Police, Chief Mike Okiro, not to be dragged into contesting the president general.
The separatist group insisted that the contest for the President General slot is reserved for the Igbo in River State, noting that Mr. Okiro is from Imo State and therefore should not allow himself to be used to destroy the cohesion of the Igbo race.
IPOB which stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, reminded that Okiro contested against the late President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. Gorge Obiozor, during the turn of Imo State to produce the President General.
The group also warned that anybody or group trying to drag Chief Okiro into contesting against Rivers State Igbos is trying to ferment trouble, while noting that IPOB will give that person or group back the problem they are clamouring for.
The statement partly read: “the attention of the noble family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been drawn to the purported endorsement of Mr. Mike Okiro by a faceless group supposedly called “Ogbako Egbema” for him to contest for the next President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“It is obvious that some influential individuals in Imo State government is behind this move to rubbish the integrity of Mike Okiro and decimate Ohanaeze Ndigbo the way they have sought to destroy Imo State. This faceless group is speaking for the enemies of Ndigbo, whose interest is to disorganize Alaigbo.
“These people cannot truncate the legitimate turn of Rivers State to produce the next Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General. At a time when well meaning organisations are actively campaigning for the unification of all territories of ancient Igboland from Igbanke to Isobo, others are hell-bent on reinforcing the stereo typical narrative of our enemies that Igboland is irretrievably balkanised and can never be united under a common political purpose.”
It added, “It is imperative that we warn those peddling the falsehood and endorsing Mike Okiro to contest for the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo to desist from disrupting the zoning structure of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The retired IG of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro should not allowed himself to be used to destroy the cohesion of the Igbo race. The contest for the President General slot is reserved for the Igbos in River State. Mr. Okiro is from Imo State.
“He contested against the late Prof. Gorge Obiozor, during the turn of Imo State to produce the President General and lost. Anybody or group trying to drag Mike Okiro into contesting against Rivers State Igbos is trying to ferment trouble and IPOB will give that person or group back the problem they clamouring for.
“The time has gone when IPOB allowed politicians to manipulate Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership outcomes. This time Igbo governors and politicians must allow Ohanaeze Ndigbo to operate as a respected socio-cultural organisation, not as the errand boys and political wing of the South East Governors Forum.
“Any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the forthcoming election to exclude or deny Igbos in Rivers State their rightful opportunity will be resisted by IPOB and those culpable will be held accountable by the people.”
The group unequivocally stated that the era of allowing Ohanaeze Ndigbo to drift and serve as a willing tool for the enemies of Ndigbo to control political destiny of Ndigbo has come to an end.
