•Retired Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB yesterday kicked against the candidacy of former Inspector General of Police, Chief Mike Okiro, for the contest of the position of President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo.
The pro-biafra group warned that it will no longer keep quiet, while politicians manipulate the outcome of the leadership Ohanaeze Ndigbo, adding that it will confront anybody or group trying to disorganize what brings the Igbo’s together, reports Vanguard.
IPoB alleged that a faceless group is working tirelessly to prevent a Rivers State indigene from becoming the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, urging the Igbo sociocultural group not to fall to their tricks.
IPoB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, titled “IPoB call on Chief Mike Okiro to stay off Ohaneze Ndigbo presidential election” further alleged that ‘Ogbako Egbema’ the group it described as faceless, and some individuals in Imo State government are trying to use Ohaneze Ndigbo’s election to rubbish the name and integrity of the retired IGP, Chief Okiro destroy Ohaneze Ndigbo.
IPoB’s statement read, “The attention of the noble family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, led by our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the purported endorsement of Mr. Mike Okiro by a faceless group supposedly called “Ogbako Egbema,” for him to contest for the next President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo.”
“It is obvious that some influential individuals in Imo State government, is behind this move to rubbish the integrity of Mike Okiro and decimate Ohaneze Ndigbo the way they have sought to destroy Imo State.
“This faceless group is speaking for the enemies of Ndigbo, whose interest is to disorganize Alaigbo. These people cannot truncate the legitimate turn of Rivers State, to produce the next President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo at a time when well meaning organisations are actively campaigning for the unification of all territories of ancient Igboland from Igbanke to Isoko, others are hell-bent on reinforcing the stereo typical narrative of our enemies that Igboland is irretrievably balkanized and can never be united under a common political purpose.
“It is imperative that we warn those peddling the falsehood and endorsing Mike Okiro, to contest for the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, to desist from disrupting the zoning structure of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“The retired IGP of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro should not allow himself to be used to destroy the cohesion of the Igbo race. The contest for the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo slot is reserved for the Igbos in River State. Mr. Okiro is from Imo State. He contested against the late Prof. Gorge Obiozor, during the turn of Imo State, to produce the President General and lost.
“Anybody or group trying to drag Chief Mike Okiro, into contesting against Rivers State Igbos, is trying to ferment trouble and IPoB will give that person or group back the problem they are clamouring for.
“The time has gone when IPoB allowed politicians to manipulate the outcomes of Ohaneze Ndigbo’s leadership. This time Igbo governors and politicians must allow Ohaneze Ndigbo, to operate as a respected socio-cultural organisation, not as the errand boy and political wing of the South East Governors Forum.
“Any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the forthcoming election to exclude or deny Igbos in Rivers State, their rightful opportunity will be resisted by IPoB and those culpable will be held accountable by the people.
“The era of allowing Ohaneze Ndigbo to drift and serve as a willing tool for the enemies of Ndigbo to control our political destiny has come to an end. Anybody or group involved in drag Chief Mike Okiro, into contesting the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo against Rivers State Igbos, is trying to ferment trouble and IPoB will give that person or group back the problem they are looking for.”
