Igbo Elders Consultative Forum Dissociates Ndigbo from Planned Nationwide Protest

… Urge Tinubu to call Onanuga to order

Paschal Emeka, Abuja | Posted July 31, 2024

The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum (IECF) has enjoined President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to call his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy (SAIS), Mr Bayo Onanuga to order and stop him from associating Igbo people (Ndigbo) with the planned, “Stop Bad Governance Protests.”

The group in a press statement made available to Journalists on Wednesday, titled: “Ndigbo Are Mourning,” as the ethnic group that recently lost Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide President General (PG), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the representative of Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly and business mogul, Dr Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah and Arc. Ferdinand Agu.

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They noted with dismay in the statement, that Onanuga has been making efforts to ensure that Ndigbo are associated with the protests, even when the ethnic group has declared that their interest was on restructuring, not on protest.

However, IECF, accused the SAIS of trying to link the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate at the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi with the looming protests.

“We ask Mr President to call Bayo Onanuga to order, so that he does not misrepresent the presidency and create the impression of a presidential animus against Ndigbo.

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“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 exercised his right of free speech with highest degree of civility, patriotism, despite the provocation from the likes of Onanuga, ” the statement read in part.

Justifying the reason to be bitter and angry about the country today, the group used the opportunity to call on Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to do everything possible to resolve the insecurity ravaging the Southeast 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 is not only the key to resolving the insecurity in the Southeast, but also as a balm to heal the recent demise of our PG.

“So, Ndigbo are not protesting, but are mourning the death of their illustrious sons.”

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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 are not a part of any national protest and the spread malicious falsehood linking Ndigbo to the protest.

“We know that Onanuga and his co – travellers 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.

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“Till date, the NPF and other security agencies have not prosecuted Onanuga and his cohorts for promoting mass violence against Ndigbo.
This is a 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 they 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.

Furthermore, IECF noted that Onanuga and his group are inconsequential to paint Ndigbo black, anywhere in the world, and alerted Mr President, security agencies as well as well meaning 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.