The media and publicity director of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Emma Powerful has given reasons why the group is always at loggerheads with apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
IPOB had last week vowed to disrupt “with blood” a restructuring summit planned by Ohanaeze in the South East zone, alleging that Ohanaeze leadership was dancing to the tune of Hausa-Fulani paymasters over the summit.
Speaking with The Punch, Powerful said, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has outlived its usefulness. “An organisation that claims to represent the interest of the people but is actively engaged in undermining the collective aspiration of the same people it claims to be working for should not exist. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is an organisation that has soiled its hands in the blood of the innocent . Nnia Nwodo ( Ohanaeze President -General ) , Gov . Dave Umahi ( Ebonyi State ) and Gov . Okezie Ikpeazu ( Abia State ) are the brains behind Operation Python Dance II .
Is it conceivable that Pa Ayo Adebanjo or the Afenifere leadership will take the pains of travelling to Abuja to beg the Fulani rulers of Nigeria to use the Nigerian military to invade South-West to kill Yoruba sons and daughters agitating for their freedom ? Despite the well documented violent tendencies of the OPC ( Oodua Peoples Congress ) , no Yoruba representative ever called for their cold-blooded execution by the military .
Arewa Consultative Forum never condemned a full -blown terrorist outfit like Boko Haram ; they are actively working with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria ( Fulani herdsmen ) , the fourth deadliest terrorist organisation in the world .
Nnia Nwodo and Dave Umahi travelled to Abuja not less than three times to plead with the archenemies of Biafra to launch a deadly military operation to wipe out IPOB leadership in cold blood . Nnia Nwodo and South -East governors cannot initiate the assassination of our leader , Mazi Nnamdi Kanu , and countless other unarmed agitators and hope to benefit from their evil deeds by conducting public meetings as if nothing happened . To allow Ohanaeze Ndigbo to keep operating as normal , given their treachery and murderous mindset , would mean condoning the worst form of abomination in our society. They are responsible for the death of hundreds of victims of Operation Python Dance , including our leader , and if anybody thinks we will easily forget what role Nnia Nwodo and Dave Umahi played in this matter , they are clearly mistaken.”
Elaborating on the threat of bloodshed at the summit, Powerful said, “We shall protest and heckle, which is also our democratic right . Our reference to bloodshed is specific . If the Nigerian Army were to open fire on protesters , then Nnia Nwodo , Dave Umahi , Okezie Ikpeazu and others will feel the wrath of the people . They can ’t expect to be killing other people ’s children that did them no wrong or harm and expect nothing to happen to their own.
We are used to soldiers descending on us but at the appropriate time , they will all answer for their crimes . It’s not a question of if but when. No commanding officer responsible for the deaths of IPOB agitators will ever go scot – free . At the right time , we shall hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice , even if they run to Niger Republic . This generation of Biafrans is unforgiving ; that is one thing our enemies must know .
We recognise the right of people to peaceful assembly but Ohanaeze Ndigbo never accorded IPOB the same right because , if they did , they would not have asked the military to attack IPOB whose sole crime is to assemble , associate and exercise their right to free speech.”