Governors in the South-East have reacted to the ‘attack on sight’ order issued against them by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV had reported that the IPOB gave a matching order to its members across the world to attack the Governors of Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Anambra States anywhere they are seen.
This comes barely 24 hours after Senator Ike Ekweremadu, immediate past Deputy Senate President, was attacked by suspected members of the group in Germany, on Saturday.
Reacting in a statement made available to Igbere TV, Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, said Biafra cannot be achieved without the governors, adding that assaulting them was not the solution to the agitation.
Umahi, who doubles as Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, said they had no problem with the group to warrant such an order, adding that the insecurity in the region was a nationwide challenge which was under the Federal Government’s command and control.
While condemning the attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Umahi said, “If there is any issue IPOB holds against the governors, they should come home to settle it in Igboland instead of a foreign land.
“What happened was a security issue which was within the purview of the Federal Government. Attacking governors in a foreign land is a wild goose chase. We love them because they are our children.
“IPOB cannot achieve Biafra alone, except with the collaboration of all stakeholders including the governors. They don’t need to attack the governors to achieve Biafra.”
The governors’ forum warned members of the IPOB not to allow political opportunists to use them to destroy the South-East region.
“They should come together and work with the governors and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo to achieve the Igbo Presidency come 2023 instead of fighting the governors. We want them to be close to us instead of taking the struggle to the international arena,” it said.
Governor Umahi, however, described the IPOB’s threats as empty, saying the group lacked the powers to track down any South-East governor anywhere in the world.
“They have no such spread and powers to track down South-East governors for attack anywhere in the world. They are too small. I don’t want to say they sound so cowardly, but they can’t see the governors to attack,” he added.
