It was reported on Saturday that accused Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra state of being behind the upcoming nationwide anti-hardship protest.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned the persistent Igbophbia under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, slamming the recent remarks made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
SaharaReporters reported on Saturday that accused Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra state of being behind the upcoming nationwide anti-hardship protest.
He stated without providing evidence that supporters of Obi and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), were the brain behind the planing of the anti-hardship protest which has been scheduled for August 2024.
Onanuga had stated that “the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party.” And that Obi “should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the protest.”
He had further claimed that the Labour Party supporters, popularly tagged Obidients were “plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu under the guise of protests”.
Reacting in statement by Ohanaeze Spokesman, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, the apex Igbo body regretted that several gullible undiscerning persons had joined Onanuga to state specifically that “the Igbo are the propellers of the forthcoming nationwide protest”.
Ogbonnia said that Ohanaeze views the remarks by Onanuga as “true to type”, citing his statement on March 19, 2023, warning “Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027”.
Ohanaeze recalled that when many well-meaning Nigerians cautioned Onanuga on the ignoble path he had chosen for himself, he further stated, “I owe no one apology for ethnic slur against Igbos”.
The statement noted that Ohanaeze views Onanuga’s bizarre dispositions towards anything Igbo as “unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth, repugnant, inflammable, repugnant and full of deep-seated hate.”
The Igbo apex organisation, however, informed Onanuga that Nigerians of all persuasions, “North, South, East and West are in pains of diverse forms: excruciating hardships, poverty, Naira downward spiral, incessant kidnappings, banditry, farmers-herdsmen conflict, most terrifying insecurity, joblessness, rising food prices and cost of living challenges.
“The prevailing hardship in Nigeria is blind to ethnicity,” Ohanaeze reminded him.
“It is necessary to inform Onanuga that this is a time for the Presidency to initiate policies, programmes, activities and a body language that will appeal to or assuage the downtrodden, dispossessed, oppressed, the deprived, including Obidients.
“And to also inform the Onanugas that issuing threats to masses, the hungry and angry, the vulnerable and indeed those who no longer fear any fall is the most inconceivable line of action for any government in a fragile society.
“In other words, instead of broadening the minds to creative thinking and welfare programmes for the masses, the Onanugas are chasing rat when the house is on fire.”
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