A leading pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a hypocrite.
According to the group, the President declared support for Western Sahara agitation to break away from Morocco and the independence of Palestinians but rejected the demand by Igbos to secede from Nigeria.
IPOB also said Buhari should stop saying that a private discussion he had with the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu had foreclosed the issue of Nigeria’s indivisibility.
The group said the President should face the present reality and stop delving into what the group called unsubstantiated history and name calling.
This is coming after President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered his service chiefs to ensure Nigeria remains an entity. This also follows his nationwide broadcast where he said that in his meeting with Ojukwu in 2003, they both agreed that Nigeria must remain indivisible.
In a statement in Awka, Anambra State and signed by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group described Buhari’s claim in that respect as comical and unfounded.
The statement reads, “Interestingly enough, there is a well-circulated video of President Buhari addressing the 70th summit of the United Nations General Assembly in New York where he stated unequivocally that no nation, no matter how small, should be denied the right to self-determination.
“Buhari in his characteristic hypocrisy failed to mention the fact that he is a staunch campaigner for self-determination for Palestine and Western Sahara. This same Buhari is the major … and backer of Western Sahara campaign to break away from Morocco.
“The question that must be answered is why it is possible for Buhari to champion the cause of self-determination for Muslims in Israel and Morocco but not so for Biafrans who are Judeo-Christians in the British-created Nigeria?”
“During his uninspiring nationwide broadcast littered with dictatorial proclamations, the only take away point in the entire turgid show of shame is that Nigeria must remain one; primarily because the dominant cabal which he represents does not want to lose their stranglehold on the finances of Nigeria.
“His hypocritical threat to deal with IPOB members, who are legitimately going about their self-determination efforts without recourse to violence, is indicative of his natural hatred for Christians and indigenous ethnic groups that make up Biafra. It is unfortunate that some people in this mere geographical expression called Nigeria are yet to understand that Biafra is an issue that is bigger than any man.
“We find it laughable that Major General Muhammadu Buhari will embark on the futile journey of deceiving the general public about his brief encounter with Ojukwu in 2003.
“President Muhammadu Buhari and other government functionaries, especially politicians, should stop deceiving themselves about the true nature of the raging Biafran agitation because they cannot provide any incontrovertible proof or verifiable evidence where the agreement was made between Buhari and Chief Ojukwu to keep Nigeria one. And they should stop calling Ojukwu’s name.”
