Every time the Indigenous People of Biafra issue their unconstitutional sit-at-home orders, there is widespread observance in many parts of the Southeast, and this seriously hurts Nigeria’s economy.
The Igbos of the Southeast are easily the most commercially oriented and successful peoples in Nigeria, and each time their heartland is closed down to commercial activity, the region suffers, as well as the nation. We do not yet have figures of the economic loss to Nigeria, but I will hazard a guess and say it has cost this nation almost a billion dollars annually.
But even beyond everyday people being forced to obey these illegal orders by armed and unarmed members of IPOB, what strikes me even more is that many prominent people in the Southeast avoid offending IPOB by having their events on a non offensive day.
A good example will be Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Without a doubt, Peter has the most hyperactive followers. They are constantly holding one or two million man marches (that only one or two thousand attend) daily.
And especially in the Southeast. But curiously, these hyperactive bunch go suddenly mellow on any Monday that IPOB has its sit at home.
What is happening here? Is there a coordination or do they just honour and respect IPOB so much? Or is it fear?
On Tuesday September 13, 2022, IPOB declared another sit at home order in the Southeast, to honour their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was in court that day. And again, Obidients voted with their feet.
And it is not just them. What about their leader, Peter Obi has never held an event in the Southeast on a day the Indigenous People of Biafra have their sit at home. What is happening? Is Peter afraid of IPOB? Do they control him? Is his loyalty to IPOB or to Nigeria?
I do not like Governor Hope Uzodinma. However, I must commend him for being bold enough to host General Buhari in Imo state in the Southeast on Tuesday, September 13, 2022.
The man may have gotten to his position as Governor by ways we may not all accept, but he is showing leadership by defying IPOB. Something that Peter Obi is yet to do.
In 2023, Nigeria needs a President who obeys our Constitution, not one that obeys IPOB. By obeying EVERY IPOB sit at home order, Peter Obi show he is an IPOB compliant candidate. We cannot go from Buhari, with a regional mindset, to Obi, with an IPOB mentality!
We ignored the obvious tell tale signs about Buhari that were self revealing. Now, look at where that has led us to after seven years. Our economy has collapsed. Inflation is 20.52%, the highest it has been in 17 years. Our currency had shed more than 100% of its value, going from ₦199 to $1 on the parallel market in 2015, to ₦705 today.
And how did we get here? Because we elected a man with a regional mindset who surrounded himself with mostly people from his own religion, region and ethnicity. And after consolidating himself in power, what did he do? He began rehabilitating Boko Haram, the same group that named him as their negotiator in talks with the Federal Government on November 1, 2012.
And how many times did Buhari condemn Boko Haram before 2015? Hardly ever. Instead, he defended them. On June 3, 2013, Buhari said that then President Jonathan’s military offensive against Boko Haram was “anti North”.
And despite these obvious signs of clannishness and a regional mindset, we made the mistake of electing Buhari.
And now, we have Peter Obi, who, like Buhari with Boko Haram, is not willing to condemn IPOB. Rather, if they issue an order, he obeys them.
What hope is there for the corporate existence of Nigeria if we elect a man who cannot stand up to a group like IPOB who believe in the dismemberment of Nigeria. In fact, not only does Peter Obi not stand up to IPOB, he obeys them when they say sit at home!
A man that many people who were known IPOB agents now support just as militantly as they once supported and still support IPOB? Electing such a person does not make sense and it does not matter how many people Peter sponsors to lie against me, I will keep saying these truth. I was borne without the fear and shame hormones.
Peter and IPOB are too close for comfort. Let Peter reassure those who believe in the corporate existence of Nigerians, by publicly condemning IPOB and then scheduling his next 2 million man march in the Southeast for the very next IPOB sit at home day. Then we will know he is for Nigeria’s unity. We do not want to replace Buhari’s kid gloves on Boko Haram and herdsmen for Peter Obi’s caress of IPOB.
We have had the Buhari experience. And it is a bitter experience. We do not want a Buhari pro-max, who will do to IPOB what Buhari is currently doing to Boko Haram. Rehabilitating them, paying them ransoms, negotiating with them, and treating them like state actors. Once is enough!
A Nigerian president is automatically a Commander-in-Chief. What type of Commander-in-Chief would Peter Obi be if he cannot stand up to IPOB? IPOB says sit at home, and he sheepishly obeys. Is that how IPOB will order him around if he gets to Aso Rock? Tufiakwa!
If Obi cannot defy IPOB, then how can he stand up to Boko Haram, ISWAP, herdsmen, and bandits? Weakness is conducive to terrorism. If in doubt, go to Kaduna and see whether Nasir El-Rufai’s policy of paying herdsmen and bandits has brought the peace he promised it will bring.
If you carry out a political DNA test on Peter Obi, you will find forensic markers for IPOB parentage in him. Why do I say that? Peter Obi wants to be the President of Nigeria. Therefore his Obidience (to borrow his words) should be to the Nigerian Constitution. Yet, each time IPOB gives an order, Obi obeys it!
Now, in the Northwest, bandits are collecting tax from communities. Just imagine if Kwankwaso paid such a tax to bandits, Nigeria would be on fire. He would be ran out of town. Yet, IPOB orders sit at homes in the Southeast and Obi is Obidient to them. Yet, Obidients celebrate him!
I am asking pertinent questions that need to be asked. I cannot be cyber bullied by IPOB agents masquerading as Obidients and defaming me, or by sponsored lawyers petitioning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against me. We elected Buhari by failing to ask these questions.
Peter Obi observes IPOB’s commands more faithfully than he observes his church’s doctrines. He has been known to skip mass occasionally, when he has other commitments. But he has NEVER been known to skip Obidience to IPOB. If they order a sit at home, Peter MUST obey!
Peter Obi and his Obidients troop out en masse for their Obidient rallies. Then when IPOB announces a sit at home, they troop in. Troop out, troop in. Their strength should not be only to cyber bully and insult online. Show Nigerians what you guys are made of. Stand up to IPOB!
Let this hide and seek end. Let the cat and mouse game be a thing of the past. Close my mouth forever. The next time IPOB announces a sit at home, Peter Obi should rally his Obidients for a 2 million man march on the same day. Then, the rest of Nigeria can take them seriously! Absent that, they will only peter out after their electoral defeat in 2023.
And the confusion continues. Labour Party says it is against the removal of the fuel subsidy regime and will fight it vehemently. Meanwhile, Peter Obi is vowing to remove fuel subsidy. What is happening here? Can two walk together except they be agreed?-Amos 3:3
These critical questions will keep being asked of Peter Obi and the other Presidential candidates. No amount of blackmail will get me to back off. I was one of the lonely voices that warned Nigeria against Buhari. Look at what happened. In 2023, we must get answers before we vote!
Reno’s Nuggets
Everything God allows happen to a believer is for your good. Nothing is bad. For example, you fall sick. You see it as bad. But because of that sickness, you could not travel. Others traveled and the car had an accident. In retrospect, was the illness bad or good? Have this perspective in all areas of your life, and anxiety will be far from you. It will end in your favour. And if is not yet in your favour, then it is not yet the end.
*Omokri is a former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media. This article was first published in his column, #TheAlternative, in today’s ThisDay.