By Charles Igbo
The immediate past President of the Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, has denied ever indicting the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, over the unprecedented killings and destruction going on in the South-east.
Chief Nwodo was reacting to a news item credited to him by IKETEX MEDIA TV, to the effect that he recently said he has been vindicated over his statement, in 2019, that IPOB was responsible for the killings in the South-east, and that Fulani Herdsmen were being innocently accused.
In a statement he personally signed, Chief Nwodo said the allegation was a lie from the “pit of hell.” He also denied, strongly, making any statement on the recent torching of the country home of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.
The Governor’s country home in Omuma was torched, a couple of weeks ago, by a yet to be identified group. While some people attributed the daring attack to IPOB, Uzodinma attributed it to disgruntled politicians who he described as “lilliputians.” IPOB strongly denies any involvement in the attack which has been condemned by a number of groups, including the Imo Traditional Rulers Council, the South-east Governors’ Forum, and the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF.
IKETEX had credited Nwodo as saying if he was Uzodinma, the country home of the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would have gone up in flames, and the recent gory killings in Ebonyi State was carried out by IPOB.
Nwodo: “The puerile, mendacious and provocative story also credited me with saying that even the recent killings in Ebonyi State was carried out by IPOB, and that I was not Governor Uzodinma, and wouldn’t be cowed by IPOB, and that any attack on my property would attract a reprisal attack from me on Afara Ukwu.”
Afara Ukwu is the home town of Nnamdi Kanu.
The former Ohaneze Nd’Igbo President said the fabrication was meant to put him on a collision course with IPOB, and attract an attack on him. He claimed IPOB members as his children, insisting that they have always been.
“This is a terrible lie from the pit of hell, and intended not just to tarnish my image but to set me on a collision course with IPOB”, he said.
He also said he was on the same page with IPOB on its struggle in defence of the Igbo, but said he only disagrees with the group on the method. While IPOB is fighting for an Independent Biafra, he said Ohaneze Nd’Igbo which he headed stood for the restructuring of the “nation in a United Nigeria.”
Nwodo, also, denied any interest in becoming Nigeria’s President in 2023, insisting that that was the impression IKETEX sought to give with its news.
Indeed, in 2019, unconfirmed speculations were strong that Nwodo had sought to be running mate to Abubakar Atiku, the PDP Presidential candidate. Atiku, eventually, picked Peter Obi, a two-time Governor of Anambra State.
Following is the full text of Chief Nnia Nwodo’s statement.
“It has come to my notice that a news item is being peddled in IKETEX MEDIA TV alleging that I have been vindicated on my statement in 2019 that IPOB was responsible for the killings in the South East and that herdsmen were innocent of the killings.
“The puerile, mendacious and provocative story also credited me with saying that even the recent killings in Ebonyi State were carried out by IPOB and that I was not Governor Uzodimma and wouldn’t be cowed by IPOB and that any attack on my property would attract a reprisal attack from me on Afara ukwu.
“This is a terrible lie from the pit of hell and intended not just to tarnish my image but to set me on collision course with IPOB.
“Let me state categorically that I have not stated or given anybody the impression that I was interested in the 2023 presidential race, neither does my body language suggest it.
“Furthermore, I couldn’t have indicted IPOB on killings in the South East when I have always held the view that they are my children and share in their grievances arising from the overt marginalisation of the Ibo in the country.
“In my inaugural speech as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2017, and in my address at Chattam House in London, I had stated clearly and firmly that the struggle of IPOB is my struggle except that we differ in modalities because while they sought outright independence for Biafra, Ohanaeze Ndigbo stood for the restructuring of the nation in a united Nigeria.
it is also instructive that in the twilight of my service to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, we had reached an understanding to work in concert with IPOB to achieve the desired objective for Ndigbo.
“Where and when did I fall out with IPOB to make a public statement accusing them of any crime or denouncing their activities ?
“Moreover, it is on record that since I left as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, I have deliberately shied away from making any public statement in order not to distort public view as to who speaks for Ndigbo after my exit.
“The only public speech I have made since then was recently on the day of tributes in honour of the deceased Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin.
“The obvious conclusion from the ill_conceived story is that it was intended to indict me and justify an attack on me.
“This mischief is as condemnable as it is indecent and should be roundly condemned by all decent minds.
“Nobody gains anything from unjustifiably engaging in a smear campaign on an innocent person.”
The South-east, the once most peaceful Zone in the country, has been engulfed in an unprecedented and inexplicable violence, blood shed, killings and destruction, of especially Police facilities, No group has, explicitly, been identified as responsible for a situation that is, gradually, but successfully reducing the Zone to a no-go area.
