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| Nnamdi Kanu in court |
- No factions in IPOB—Igbo women, youths, others
- Say TRIPOB, RE-IPOB leaders fictional
- By Emeka Mamah & Clifford Ndujihe
ENUGU—The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused the Department of State Services, DSS, of being amateurish in its effort to cause confusion in the group by creating false divisions or factions of IPOB, saying that the misadventure would backfire.
- This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Spokespersons of IPOB, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya yesterday.
They said that it was shameful that the DSS was implementing its plan of creating several factions of IPOB, and challenged the promoters of the “fake RE-IPOB, TRI-POB, BUHARI-POB, OKOROCHA-POB, and OHANEZE-POB,” to publish the real photographs of those behind the pseudo organisations for the world to see.
According to IPOB, its leaders like Nnamdi Kanu, Alphonsus Uchenna Okafor-Mefor and Uchenna Asiegbu among others are known people whose origins were verifiable as against the shadow groups being bandied by the DSS.
The statement read in part: “The Federal Government has done a very bad job as a propagandist. In conjunction with agents of DSS, the government in its propaganda misadventure must have succeeded in enraging outstanding propagandists such as Joseph Goebbels, Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf, and Gaddafi’s Moussa Ibrahim.
President Muhammadu Buhari and his DSS travelled on this road to infamy by creating fake groups and christening them ‘Indigenous People of Biafra’ with diverse deceptive prefixes such RE-IPOB, TRI-POB, BUHARI-POB, OKOROCHA-POB, and OHANEZE-POB.
The most intriguing aspect of this dance of shame is the use of pseudonyms that are both outlandish and laughable at the same time. For instance, the spokesperson of the Buhari/DSS-POB’s goes by the name Ikemba Biafra.
Recently, another fictitious name was concocted as “Jonathan Kurubo” purportedly from Igbogene, a community close to River Nun in Bayelsa State.
On the contrary, all principal officers and citizens of IPOB under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu bear their real names and have family histories as well as real photographs of themselves.
For instance, Nnamdi Kanu is from Isiama–Afaraukwu Umuahia-Ibeku in Abia state. He is the son of His Royal Majesty, Eze I. O. Kanu, the Egwu Ukwu of Afaraukwu.
The Deputy leader of IPOB is Mazi Alphonsus Uchenna Okafor-Mefor, from Abatete in Idemili area of Anambra State.
Similarly, Igbo women, youths, students and traders have faulted reports of crisis in the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, leading to the emergence of splinter groups –The Rebranded Indigenous People of Biafra, TRIPOB and Reformed Indigenous People of Biafra, RE-IPOB.
Among people and groups, who insisted that IPOB is intact and challenged leaders of TRIPOB and RE-IPOB to produce their photographs if they are not fictitious are the Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, led by Mrs. Mariah Okwor; Igbo Youth Movement, IYM; Igbo Students Union, ISU; Igbo Traders Association, ITA and South East Christians Network, SECN among others
Recently, TRIPOB and RE-IPOB, in separate statements disowned the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and unveiled their programmes. While TRIPOB said it would burn the Biafra flag on October 1, the RE-IPOB listed names of some eminent persons to negotiate with the Federal Government, while warning Nnamdi Kanu to stop parading himself as IPOB leader.
Speaking on the issue, Mrs. Mariah Okwor, in a statement said: “The funny games being played by the Federal Government is a further confirmation of the arrogance of this government in their stubborn refusal to address the problems from the root by restructuring Nigeria along six regions without delay. Only true fiscal federalism can save Nigeria now. Creating non-existent factions of IPOB will not stop the agitation. Government should stop amusing the public with their childish plots.
There is clearly no crisis or factions among these gallant boys, they’re united under Nnamdi Kanu and they are committed to their struggle. I personally thought that Kanu will go the way of Uwazurike, but he has surprised everybody by his righteous, sincere and total commitment to the struggle. The IWA will honour Kanu in October for his honesty and transparent leadership. That boy is a hero.
According to her, four groups from the South East and three from Niger Delta will publicly honour Nnamdi Kanu for his sacrifices in defence of truth and fight for justice. IYM founder, Evang. Elliot Uko, said: ‘’Those who claim there is crisis in IPOB are the very people who are being used to create the impression of a crisis. Ndigbo know that IPOB is intact, why would I comment on non-existent TRIPOB and REIPOB? I don’t want to dignify fake groups with a response. The Federal Government should do the needful, which is begin to address the foundational reasons millions of youths have lost faith in Nigeria. Creating artificial factions will not stop the agitation. Only a restructuring of the polity will restore hope. Time is running out”
On his part, Comrade Chimezie Ubani, President of Igbo Students, said: “Nobody knows the fictional characters, Philip Effiong Osuji and Ikemba Biafra or Nzeogwu Biafra, Let them publish their photographs and tell us their home towns and local governments of origin, if they truly exist. There is no crisis whatsoever in IPOB. We will honour Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in all the campuses in Eastern Nigerian soon, he is our eternal hero, a prophet and a legend. He destroyed our oppressors with the power of truth. IPOB is intact and we are all proud of them.’’
Bishop Mike Ibeneme, coordinator of South East Christians Network, said: “We all know, Nnamdi Kanu, we know he is from Afara, Umuahia, Abia State. Nobody knows these names Ikemba Biafra and Philip Effiong Chima, they probably do not exist. It is clearly an attempt by certain forces to give the impression that there is division within the IPOB. It means the IPOB has become a very formidable force that is strong enough to frighten the authorities. Nobody believes there is any crisis within the IPOB, those alluding to factions in IPOB are only those who are afraid of IPOB.’’
To Chief Chris Obikwelu, Chairman of Igbo Traders Association: “We are all surprised to hear of strange names breaking away from IPOB. If they had said that Emma powerful, Clifford Iroanya or Emma Nmezu broke away, it probably would have been believable, but for totally strange names, unknown to anybody to publish a list of laughable characters to negotiate on behalf of Ndigbo, simply means that TRIPOB and REIPOB are fake, non-existent groups, created by the enemy in their foolish attempt to weaken IPOB.’’n I can tell you that they have only succeeded in making Kanu and IPOB more popular and respected by all. It means he is giving them sleepless nights, if he were a sell-out, they would not create fake splinter groups to counter him”
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