Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has stated that the recent attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu in far away Germany by some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, will not affect the campaign for an Igbo man to become the President of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari’s reign.
Some members of IPOB had last Saturday attacked Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany, where he was to give a keynote address at the Second Igbo Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany
Ibegbu who spoke in a statement on Friday, recalled that similar attack on ex-President Goodluck Jonathan by some Ijaw militants in the past, saying that did not stop him (Jonathan) from being President, neither did the rejection of former President Olusegun Obasanjo by the Yorubas in 1999 stop him from becoming President then.
He said, “Even the murderous activities of Boko Haram and other seperatists in the North did not stop Yaradua and Buhari from becoming Nigeria President. Why should IPOB and MASSOB activities which are even done peacefully be a threat to Igbo Presidency project. No , I think it will even enhance it. In any case, its not Igbo Presidency but Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction.
“We, however advise all our Presidential materials to begin to build bridges and network with other zones of the country, while all political parties in Nigeria should zone the next Presidency to the South East and Igbo land in particular. Its the most just, fair and equitable thing to do for the sake of our unity and development.”
On the rumour in some quarters that Ekweremadu and Chief Nnia Nwodo, Ohanaeze President-General, gave out some land in Enugu for RUGA with huge returns, the spokesman dismissed the allegation, saying: “It is the handiwork of enemies of Ndigbo and fifth columnists as nothing like that happened. Let them come up with proof of such callous allegation.”
