A combination of the Igbo Intelligentsia, political leaders, traditional and religious elites has warned the governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, to steer clear of what they termed; “the precarious and sensitive situation with Nnamdi Kanu”.
The Ebonyi State governor who doubles as the Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum had in a recent outing claimed to be discussing with President Muhammadu Buhari on the possibility of freeing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The governor had said; “I have gone to President Muhammadu Buhari and initiated a political dialogue over our brother Nnamdi Kanu. And that process is on. And I don’t see any reason why we should be killing ourselves. Fighting our people, making sure that the economy of the south-east is down.”
However, the Igbo leaders described Umahi’s claim as; “a desperate ploy to take credit for the efforts of eminent Igbo leaders who had invested everything towards achieving a negotiated and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu.”
Dr Martin Uzoma berated the governor for “his continuous attempt at relegating other Igbo leaders and wanting to be the only cock that crows.”
According to him, he wouldn’t have bothered about the governor’s mischief if he had been responsible enough to have acknowledged the efforts of other Igbo leaders, but claiming that he “INITIATED” the dialogue is a slap on eminent Igbo leaders like Professor George Obiozor, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma to mention but a few.
Rev. Chima Mbanaso of the Heavenly Treasure Ministry, Abakaliki also took issues with the governor of his State over the statement. According to the fiery Man of God, the governor has shown a great level of insincerity and confirmed that he shouldn’t be trusted.
“What do you call a man who cannot say a simple truth about an issue, a man who stands up boldly to take credit for the efforts of others? The governor of my State has derailed from the most basic principles expected of a Christian leader, and I urge his Pastors to advise him appropriately, else, he risks the wrath of God. You cannot expect to lie your way to power, and if you must, why must it be with someone’s suffering?
On his part, the Coordinator of Igbo Cultural Forum, South Africa, Chief Alex Ijiomah described the governor’s claim as; “infantile, desperate and false.”
According to him; “We know the Igbo leaders who have been at the forefront of the struggle for Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom and the restoration of peace in Igbo land. Governor Umahi does not feature on any of those scores. Even among his colleagues in the Southeast Governors Forum, he has given the least attention to Nnamdi Kanu’s plight and shown the least commitment to the restoration of peace in the Southeast. Instead of rising up to the challenge of insecurity in the Southeast, Umahi chose to play to the gallery.”
He recalled that during the meeting of Igbo leaders with President Muhammadu Buhari in Owerri, Governor Umahi failed to make even the slightest reference to Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration and it only took the courage of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor to raise that issue and other serious concerning Ndigbo.
