By TONY OKAFOR
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a stern warning to former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, to stay out of the forthcoming Ohanaeze Ndigbo presidential election.
According to a statement released by Comrade Emma Powerful, Media and Publicity Secretary for IPOB, the group has been made aware of Okiro’s purported endorsement by a faceless group called “Ogbako Egbema” to contest for the position of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
IPOB believes that some influential individuals in the Imo State government are behind this move, which is aimed at disrupting the zoning structure of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and decimating the organization.
The secessionists group views Okiro’s potential candidacy as an attempt to reinforce the narrative that Igboland is irretrievably divided and can never be united under a common political purpose.
The IPOB statement emphasized that the contest for the President General slot is reserved for Igbos in Rivers State, and that Okiro, being from Imo State, should not allow himself to be used to destroy the cohesion of the Igbo race.
The group warned that anyone or group trying to drag Okiro into contesting against Rivers State Igbos would be resisted and held accountable by the people.
This development comes as the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), a frontline Igbo think tank, has also warned against the imposition of Okiro as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, citing the need for a fair and transparent process .
The ADF has called on Rivers State Ohanaeze Ndigbo to ensure that due process is followed and that the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is respected.
The IPOB statement concluded by emphasizing that the era of allowing Ohanaeze Ndigbo to drift and serve as a tool for the enemies of Ndigbo to control their political destiny has come to an end.
The group vowed to resist any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the forthcoming election and to hold those culpable accountable.
However, it’s worth noting that there is some controversy surrounding Okiro’s ethnicity, with some groups claiming he is from the Egbema ethnic nationality in Rivers State .
