Ohanaeze, Southeast govs hold parallel meetings, differ on Biafra

Biafra

South-East governors and leaders of Ndigbo at parallel meetings in Enugu yesterday differed on how to manage the ongoing agitation and protests by the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the continued
detention of the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

At its rescheduled emergency meeting with selected National Assembly members, traditional rulers and other stakeholders held at Government House, Enugu, the governors opted to set up a committee to dialogue with MASSOB/IPOB and the Federal Government on the protests.

After its meeting, the leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, IPOB and MASSOB and South East, South-South Professionals (SESSP) resolved to convoke an emergency Imeobi (its highest decision making organ) where the agitation by the pro-Biafra groups will be discussed.

The Ohanaeze, MASSOB and IPOB were neither consulted nor invited to the meeting convoked by the governors hence the parallel meetings.

Meanwhile, MASSOB and IPOB leaders showed faith in Ohanaeze leadership and decided that they would only negotiate through Ohanaeze Ndigbo on any issue.

In a four-point communiqué read by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, the governors, on the presumption that
there was a leadership problem in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, resolved to set up a committee to immediately address the impasse.

They also examined poor state of infrastructure in the South East zone, marginalsation in federal appointments and other socio- economic issues that have impacted the development of the zone and resolved to set up an economic council to interface with the Federal Government.

The meeting agreed to raise a delegation of the elders of the zone to meet with the president on the state of affairs in the Southeast.

The President of the South-East/South-South Professionals, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, who read the communiqué of the Ohanaeze meeting, said: “Ohanaeze will summon an emergency meeting of the Imeobi to discuss the current situation in Igboland.

“MASSOB and IPOB have been advised to maintain the peace so far. Ohanaeze has noted the demand of the IPOB and MASSOB, which is the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

“The meeting condemned the rascality of the chairman of the Anambra State chapter of Ohanaeze in publishing a position pertaining to himself and purporting it to be Ohanaeze’s position, since his position does not qualify him to speak for the general body.

“MASSOB and IPOB demand the sanctioning of the Igbo saboteurs. MASSOB continue meeting with Ohanaeze, the South-East/South-South Professionals and resolved that Ohanaeze should be the only medium through which any negotiation will be made.”