BEVERLY HILLS, November 16, (THEWILL) – The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, have disagreed with Igbo leaders over their alleged endorsement of Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid insisting that Ndigbo have not decided on any presidential candidate to cast their vote for in the 2019 general elections.
IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful described as “premature, the endorsement of Atiku Abubakar by a few Igbo men that gathered in Enugu on Wednesday, adding that for 40 years, similar endorsements had been going without anything to show for them.
The Biafra group said the endorsement was without any written, signed and sealed guarantee.
“This practice of endorsement of presidential candidates without any concrete binding agreement has been going on for 40 years with absolutely nothing to show for it. Politics has come to an end for IPOB members though.
“Those that once screamed, ‘no restructuring, no election’ to endear themselves to IPOB now seem to have been bought over with cash and promise of political appointments for their children.
“Such inconsistencies, lack of morally upright stance on critical issues pertaining to on our survival as a race, have over the years, led to the enslavement of our people for the enrichment of a few men and their families.”
On its part, Ohanaeze youths, in a statement issued in Abakaliki, declared that “no few and outdated leaders in the political circle would mortgage the political future of Ndigbo.”
According to the statement, “Ndigbo have not decided which direction to vote in 2019 and no outdated leader will mortgage the political future of Ndigbo.
“We shouted in the past that things were not done properly in the South East especially to the PDP chieftains but now, they’re heading the same way which is another political catastrophic mission which will be resisted by the youths and coalition of Igbo groups.
“Ndigbo will not be carried away by euphoria of vice presidential candidate. An additional state creation is better in the South East.
“We are calling on President Buhari to seek redress and appease Ndigbo before the years run out to regain the loss of confidence of Igbo youths, especially in terms of job creation and minimum wage issue.
“We believe Ndigbo will have a rethink if the federal government revamps Enugu coal mine, create jobs and create an additional state in the South East.
“With a new state, there will be more political space, with additional governor, three extra senators, 10 extra Federal Representatives, 24 extra House of assembly members, 20 extra LGA chairmen and many councillors. This is better than having the vice president.”
