Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka
Abuja
The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum (IECF) has enjoined President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to warn his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy (SAIS), Mr Bayo Onanuga to stop associating Igbo people (Ndigbo) with the planned, “Stop Bad Governance Protests.”
The group sent the message to Onanuga through Mr President in a press statement signed by its chairman and secretary, Chief Simon Okeke (Ochendo) and Prof. Charles Nwekeaku respectively, and made available to media houses Wednesday, with the title: “Ndigbo Are Mourning,” as the ethnic group recently lost Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide President General (PG), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the representative of Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah and Arc. Ferdinand Agu.
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According to the release, Onanuga has been making all efforts to ensure that Ndigbo are associated with the protest, even when the ethnic group has declared that their interest was on restructuring, not on protest. The release however accused the SAIS of trying to link the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate at the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi with the protest.
Read the statement: “We ask Mr President to call Bayo Onanuga to order, so that he doesn’t misrepresent the presidency and create the impression of a presidential animus against Ndigbo. We ask the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to hold him and his hateful gang members responsible for any violence against Ndigbo, or Obi, a man of peace, who has excised his right of free speech with highest degree of civility, patriotism, despite the provocation of likes of Onanuga.”
Justifying the reason to be bitter and angry about the country today, the group used the opportunity to call on Mr President to do everything possible to resolve the South East (SE) insecurity and release the incarcerated leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, adding that: “The visit of our late PG, Ohaneze to Nnamdi Kanu was his last assignment before his demise. We believe that the release of Kanu isn’t only the key to resolving the insecurity in the SE, but also a balm on our demise PG’s soul. So Ndigbo aren’t protesting, but are mourning the death of their illustrious sons.”
“While speaking on the commitment of Ndigbo in the Nigerian project and respect for each ethnic group, saying that they expect such from others, the IECF stated this: “As we promote peace, prosperity for Nigeria and show respect to others, we will demand the same from them. Ndigbo will continue to contribute to Nigeria’s greatness and it is unacceptable for any Nigerian to overlook the clear statement of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide that we aren’t a part of any national protest and the spread malicious falsehood linking Ndigbo to the protest.
“We know that Onanuga and his co – handlers has continued to spread hate speeches against Ndigbo. It was the same persons whose hate speeches led to mass violence against Ndigbo in Lagos, during the last gubernatorial election. Till date, the NPF and other security agencies haven’t prosecuted Onanuga and his cohorts for promoting mass violence against Ndigbo. This is dereliction of the duty, not to prosecute criminals under the law.”
The most dangerous of Mr President’s SAIS, according to the IECF was the promotion of ethnic violence against Ndigbo, by tagging Obi as the leader of the protest, when every Nigerian knows that Obi’s approach to politics had never been violent. Onanuga, the release went on, is enlightened enough to read Obi’s statements during his campaign to date, even as it reminded Onanuga of Obi’s continued warning against violence. Accusing the Tinubu’s SAIS of deliberately, publishing falsehood against Obi, as a result.of the phobia he had for Ndigbo, the group therefore said that Ndigbo would always triumph.
Noting that Onanuga and his group are inconsequential to paint Ndigbo black, anywhere in the world, the IECF alerted Mr President, security agencies and Nigerians of potent threat Onanuga’s hate speech against Ndigbo poses to national security, even as they enjoined security agencies not to allow repeat of ethnic violence against Ndigbo in Lagos on March 18, 2023.
