Dissatisfied
with the role of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in matters concerning the Igbo
nation, especially its position in the recent protest by the Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB) and the alleged killing of about 5000 members
of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra
(MASSOB), during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, an
Igbo cultural organisation, Igbo Mandate Congress (IMC) and IPOB
yesterday, described the Ohanaeze as saboteurs who are only interested
in enriching themselves at the detriment of the Igbo people.
While fielding questions from newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, the Director General of IMC, Rev. Obinna Akukwe said, “left for the Federal Government, the abandoned infrastructural decay in the South East would have been worked upon, but our problem is that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo that claims to represent us will on presenting our problems to the Federal Government demands money, and keep their mouth shut after collecting the money”.
He hinted that Ohanaeze had quarreled over sharing formular for the money they collected on two occasions during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“These Ohanaeze and Igbo politicians should be held responsible for the decay in infrastructure in the South East. Their sense of insensitivity keeps us in this pity condition.
“I was even told that some people spent the money for the rehabilitation of Enugu/Onitsha Expressway, and that is why it remains in this messy condition till now,” he stated.
To buttress his point that Ohanaeze is more interested in money making than the people, he said, “In 2010, the General Assembly of all Igbo Christians Organisations and Ministries held a meeting with the then President Jonathan, demanding the rehabilitation of Enugu/Onitsha road, Enugu/ Port Harcourt road, Enugu Airport to International status, Onitsha River Port, Second Niger Bridge, among others. I was among the three-man committee that liaised with the representatives of President Jonathan, and at a point, we, as Christian ministers felt like allowing our representatives to now execute the demands since we have paved the way.
“We were disappointed that the Ohanaeze went and collected money, dropping the idea. Each of the Ohanaeze executive member collected N20 million, and I have proof of that; about N6 billion was given to them,” he revealed.
“In 2015, there was money quarrel in Enugu over the sharing formula for largesse to them from the presidency; this time I think about N5 billion was brought.
It is money and tenure elongation that made Ohanaeze to have two factions today, and so when they reacted to IPOB or MASSOB protests, you find out that they were not being taken seriously,” Akukwe added further.
The good thing about the IPOB protest is that Igbo leaders cannot go to Abuja to collect money again. The culture of Ohanaeze going to Abuja to collect money for now has stopped. They made effort to go and see President Mohammadu Buhari, but unfortunately for them it is no longer business as usual.”
Also reacting, the IPOB spokesman in Anambra State, Emma Powerful, said, “the Ohanaeze Ndigbo are saboteurs who collect money to sell their brothers.
Source: National Mirror Newspapers
While fielding questions from newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, the Director General of IMC, Rev. Obinna Akukwe said, “left for the Federal Government, the abandoned infrastructural decay in the South East would have been worked upon, but our problem is that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo that claims to represent us will on presenting our problems to the Federal Government demands money, and keep their mouth shut after collecting the money”.
He hinted that Ohanaeze had quarreled over sharing formular for the money they collected on two occasions during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“These Ohanaeze and Igbo politicians should be held responsible for the decay in infrastructure in the South East. Their sense of insensitivity keeps us in this pity condition.
“I was even told that some people spent the money for the rehabilitation of Enugu/Onitsha Expressway, and that is why it remains in this messy condition till now,” he stated.
To buttress his point that Ohanaeze is more interested in money making than the people, he said, “In 2010, the General Assembly of all Igbo Christians Organisations and Ministries held a meeting with the then President Jonathan, demanding the rehabilitation of Enugu/Onitsha road, Enugu/ Port Harcourt road, Enugu Airport to International status, Onitsha River Port, Second Niger Bridge, among others. I was among the three-man committee that liaised with the representatives of President Jonathan, and at a point, we, as Christian ministers felt like allowing our representatives to now execute the demands since we have paved the way.
“We were disappointed that the Ohanaeze went and collected money, dropping the idea. Each of the Ohanaeze executive member collected N20 million, and I have proof of that; about N6 billion was given to them,” he revealed.
“In 2015, there was money quarrel in Enugu over the sharing formula for largesse to them from the presidency; this time I think about N5 billion was brought.
It is money and tenure elongation that made Ohanaeze to have two factions today, and so when they reacted to IPOB or MASSOB protests, you find out that they were not being taken seriously,” Akukwe added further.
The good thing about the IPOB protest is that Igbo leaders cannot go to Abuja to collect money again. The culture of Ohanaeze going to Abuja to collect money for now has stopped. They made effort to go and see President Mohammadu Buhari, but unfortunately for them it is no longer business as usual.”
Also reacting, the IPOB spokesman in Anambra State, Emma Powerful, said, “the Ohanaeze Ndigbo are saboteurs who collect money to sell their brothers.
Source: National Mirror Newspapers
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