Former Niger Delta agitator, Asari Dokubo, has incurred the wrath of apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo over comment asking President Bola Tinubu to let the Igbo nation to secede from Nigeria.
The controversial ex-warlord made the remarks in an Instagram video recorded and shared by Koikimedia via its Twitter handle on Thursday.
“Please, in the name of God, why do we allow this vicious cycle of irritation of people who claim to be victims when they are the oppressors and the people offending others? Let the Igbo go so that there will be enough resources for other people to manage.
“They don’t even need a referendum. The President and National Assembly should meet and someone courageous enough should sponsor a bill at the National Assembly. There should be a constitutional amendment. The five Igbo states and any group of people who want to join them should go.
“We have a lot to gain if we let these people go and turn their country into heaven on earth. Please, National Assembly, President Bola Tinubu, I am begging you, let the Igbo go so that we will rest and they too will rest and they should be barred from coming into our country,” he said.
Recall that Dokubo had previously urged the president not to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying it would amount to rewarding criminality.
According to Dokubo, the Igbos are the “real aggressors” claiming to be “victims”, noting that they could secede and make Mr Kanu their “messiah.”
Reacting, spokesperson for Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia said well-meaning Igbo people would not waste their attention on a man like Dokubo.
Ogbonnia added that he could not comment on the matter at the moment until a decision was reached by the body, stating that the group could only respond if such a statement was made by other recognised socio-cultural groups.
“For various reasons, we don’t want to comment on self-government now. There will be a time Ohanaeze will take a decision on that but if you watch what is going on, we have kept our comments on what is going on in government. Until we have a meeting, that is when I can comment on it and Ohanaeze cannot be drawn to that level of responding to Dokubo as an individual,” The Punch quoted Ogbonnia as saying.