News / politics

Nnamdi Kanu’s release now rests with Ohanaeze Ndigbo — Umahi

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, now rests with the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The Governor said this on Tuesday when he spoke with newsmen after a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

Umahi, who spoke with State House Correspondents after presenting a thank you letter to the President for visiting the state on May 5 and 6, 2022, dismissed the insinuation that the people of the South East were no longer interested in the “Nigeria Project”.

According to him, the people of the South East are not in support of any form of agitation or plans to secede from Nigeria. He said: “I had many months back met with the President, where we had very detailed and frank discussion on that particular matter.

“South East people are tired and I have always said that we are not totally in support of agitation to secede from the Nigerian nation.

“We want to belong to the Nigerian nation and as the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, I have publicly said it, I have defended it, I don’t care about the attacks and those who have taken to the politics of that matter in our place.

“So, the President graciously granted my request for political solution, but you see, when the President repeatedly said the matter is in court, we must appreciate his pedigree and integrity.

“He cannot just as a President say he is going to destroy the matter in court.

“But there is always room for dialogue and out of court settlement and that is what we are looking for.

“He has said: ‘Your cultural leadership should be able to initiate that with Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer.’

“But this is over six months and we have been begging the President of Ohanaeze to take up that responsibility.

“So, that is the position and we are waiting for the President of Ohanaeze to kick-start this political dialogue.

“I met with the Attorney-General …

News / politics

Ohanaeze reacts to IPOB’s threat to declare one week sit-at-home

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has reacted to the decision of the Indigenous People of Biafra to declared a one-week sit-at-home in the South East from November 5, 2021.

The group gave stated its position in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.

In the statement on Sunday, Isiguzoro said the order will cause the group to lose Igbo’s support and also give the All Progressives Congress the upper hand in the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 6.

It said the decision will, ultimately, hurt the Igbos most. The statement said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has deciphered that any declaration that unleashes untold hardship, the collapse of commercial and industrial activities, a boycott of Anambra elections, and interrupts the academic calendar in South-Eastern states is viewed as nonsensical, absurd, and anti-Igbo agenda for the enemies’ amusement.

“You can’t enslave Ndigbo for one week without backlash from them, it’s time for Igbo to rise to the occasion and end being trampled with orders from overseas by those without any investments in the South-East.

“IPOB should discern that there have been self-determination struggles in Africa, before now, Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail, never in the annals of the history of the movement against Apartheid, was starvation, anguish, and catastrophe unleashed on Black South Africans by ANC, it’s an impulsive and reckless imperilment against Igbo to order them to observe one-week sit-at-home when it’s obvious that Nnamdi Kanu will not be released without the approval of courts.

“Secondly had IPOB declined to learn from the blunders and mistakes of former MASSOB leader Ralph Uwazurike on the boycott of population census of 2001 which made Igbo the majority-minority in Nigeria, attempts to boycott Anambra elections evidently will favor APC to win Anambra elections. IPOB should revisit and nullify the one-week sit-at-home or they will likely lose the support of Igbo henceforth, Ndigbo must participate in Anambra and nothing should stop it.

“Ndigbo should ask anyone enforcing the one-week sit-at-home, if they know the plight of common people who are street …

News / politics

Ohanaeze Ndigbo demands fair trial for Kanu

Pan-Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has demanded that the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, must be within the ambit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in conformity with global best practices.

To ensure that the IPOB leader gets a fair hearing, the organization said it had constituted a legal team led by its national legal adviser and eminent Igbo leaders to monitor the legal proceedings throughout the trial.

These were part of the resolutions contained in the communiqué issued by the organization after its National Executive Committee meeting held in Enugu on Saturday July 10, signed by its national publicity secretary, Hon. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia.

It stated: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has observed with keen interest the recent re-arraignment and consequent trial of our son, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“Inasmuch as Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not averse to the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we however submit that he should be tried within the ambit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in line with global best practices.”

The organization also expressed its support for the stand taken by the Southern Governors Forum on anti-open grazing, restructuring, rotation of the President of Nigeria to the South in 2023, and the proposed five per cent share of the Petroleum Industries Bill (PIB) for the host communities.

It said further that while it identifies with the Igbo youths in their grievances over Igbo marginalization, menace of the Fulani herdsmen, among others, it does not support the use of any form of violence to redress the relative deprivation and prevailing inequality and injustice across the country.

“We, therefore, urge the youths to be law-abiding and sheathe their swords as the South East leaders and stakeholders address these our collective grievances through meaningful dialogue and negotiations,” it said.

It also advised Igbo youths to take advantage of the ongoing voters’ registration, saying this is the only means to guarantee effective participation in Nigerian politics “and a sine qua non to …