From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed not to recognise the newly elected President of Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze, Prof George Obiozor.

IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, who made this known in a statement on Saturday, explained that Obiozor will not be accepted by the group, saying he was imposed on the people.

‘IPOB closely monitored the jamboree in the name of election that produced Obiozor as the new Ohanaeze helmsman, critically analysed the antecedents of those behind his emergence and came to the conclusion that we cannot in all honesty work with him because we are not ideologically compatible,’ the spokesman stated.

Powerful said the group feared he would only be a stooge in the hands of those who sponsored him. ‘Obiozor may not be entirely evil but those behind him are unrepentant enemies of Biafra. Naturally, he can only do the bidding of his sponsors, thus sacrificing Igbo Biafra interest at the altar of few self-centred political desperados,’ Powerful said.

He alleged that the group had already warned of the emergence of Obiozor with strong support from the north.

‘We have not forgotten that before the shambolic election of Ohanaeze president, sometime last year, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Associations of Nigeria (MACBAN) wrote a compelling letter to Aso Rock seeking Gambari’s support to install one of their stooges in Ohaneze Ndigbo as its leader.

‘We raised the alarm then but nobody listened to us, so IPOB cannot work with a man we know will be remote-controlled by a Fulani terrorist group in the shape of Miyetti Allah and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria,’ Powerful stated.

IPOB has also given reasons why it would not work with elites from the zone clamouring for Igbo presidency in 2023. According to him, ‘we also wish to clarify that we cannot work with the current bunch of Igbo clamouring for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023 because we know their real motives.

‘None of the traitors on parade have Igbo Biafra interest at heart. They are only after their personal gains going by their antecedents. The same bunch of reprobates that superintended the massacre of their own people through countless Operation Python Dance are now asking survivors of those massacres to support them.

‘Similarly, when Mr Peter Obi, in 2019 was contesting with Alhaji Abubarka Atiku as his running mate, Gov Dave Umahi and his co Igbo conspirators did not support or campaign for him despite being in the same political party – PDP. We are surprised that these people shouting President of Igbo extraction today but sabotaged their own people yesterday think others will support them.

‘Besides, if these myopic and self-centred fellows think producing the President of Nigeria will solve the problem of Ndigbo, when Goodluck Jonathan, an Ijaw man from South-South was Nigeria’s President for six years, what did he do for the East in general and Ijaw people in particular.

‘The same Northern oligarchy that did not allow him to operate freely will still not allow any stooge they may eventually appoint from Igboland to succeed. So, it makes no sense clamouring for what won’t profer any solution to our problems.

‘They may deceive their fellow it’s our turn to rule brigade, but not those of us who are discerning enough to understand their childish pranks.

‘Our concern is Biafra and nothing more. Any saboteur talking about Nigeria President of Igbo extraction is on his own,’ Powerful stated.

Source

Firstly, let me start by saying that whoever told Obiozor to allow Dave Umahi to stand behind him in the picture above gave him a very bad advise. 

I know that our so called leaders think very little of the people they claim to represent, but they are mistaken because we live in an era of social media, and people know better today.

Next, we look closely at IPOB statement ...

‘Similarly, when Mr Peter Obi, in 2019 was contesting with Alhaji Abubarka Atiku as his running mate, Gov Dave Umahi and his co Igbo conspirators did not support or campaign for him despite being in the same political party – PDP. We are surprised that these people shouting President of Igbo extraction today but sabotaged their own people yesterday think others will support them.

‘Besides, if these myopic and self-centred fellows think producing the President of Nigeria will solve the problem of Ndigbo, when Goodluck Jonathan, an Ijaw man from South-South was Nigeria’s President for six years, what did he do for the East in general and Ijaw people in particular.

Clearly, the mandate for Obiozor (given to him by the career NIGERIAN politicians of southeastern extraction) is to deliver the "Igbo presidency" in 2023.

It means that they would be prepared to mortgage ANYTHING in return for it.
That alone is a huge red flag.

What is befuddling, to me, is that in the history of Nigeria, areas where the presidents come from usually fair very poorly in real development. Go and take a careful look.

In my book, in current Nigeria, the south east is the richest per capita in real terms (money in pockets of people from the region), and yet the region hasn't produced a Nigerian president since 1966!
The reason for south east economic well-being has NOTHING to do with politics or Nigerian presidential support of any kind.

It has everything to do with the indomitable spirit of the Igbo that pushes them to excellence no matter where they live on the surface of this planet. 

Nigeria is currently being sustained by huge diaspora remittances of which I believe at least half are sent by people from Igboland. Not saying that other Nigerians abroad don't make money, but Igbo think home FAR more than others, on average. FACT, but let me not digress much...

Why then do some Igbo still believe that it is wise to sacrifice anything just for Nigerian presidential seat?
Can't understand it.

The fact that these career Nigerian politicians are hustling for Igbo presidency should put every Igbo person on alert, because our people have this uncanny way of being the worst enemies of their own people just because of personal ambitions.

It is a good thing that there is an IPOB now in the East that can actually question these politicians, and essentially slow them down in their usual mad rush to sell off our collective patrimony in the East on the altar of selfish ambitions.

If the rest of Nigeria believes that Igbo should be the next president (which I believe is a wise thing for Nigeria to do at this time in her history), NONE of these "swamp politicians" should see the light of day. Had to say that!