Two days to the planned Igbo summit on restructuring, there appears to be an imminent showdown, as members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), have vowed to protest and disrupt the Monday gathering of people from different parts of the country.

In the same vein, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing (OYW) Worldwide, has also affirmed that over its dead body would it allow anybody, or group to disrupt the event, saying, “ we have vowed to resist with the last drop of our blood, any attempt by any group, be it IPOB, or any other that will attempt to stop the restructuring summit.”

In a statement jointly signed by the National Deputy Youths President, Dr. Kingsley Dozie; National Secretary, Comrade Uchenna Madubuike and National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Osmond Nkeoma, the youths organisation, “insisted that the South-East Zonal Summit on Restructuring scheduled for Monday, 21st May, 2018 must go on.

“In as much as we believe and still maintains that dialogue and constructive engagements are still the best ways of achieving our common goals, every Igbo life matters a lot and none should be lost carelessly”, they said.

They condemned what they described as unprovoked and incessant attacks on the Ohanaeze Ndigbo national leadership ably led by Chief Nnia J. Nwodo by IPOB for no justifiable reasons.

They also stated that IPOB’s latest threat to truncate the event cannot be realised, and urged IPOB to recall that it threatened fire and brimstone should anyone partake in the Anambra 2017 general elections, “but at the end, the election was held, heaven did not fall and the turnout was even unprecedented.

“Let it be made categorically clear that IPOB cannot stop the restructuring summit scheduled at Awka and any attempt to do that must be resisted by Ohanaeze Youths with all available instruments of law. Enough is Enough!”.

Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB media and publicity secretary in a statement, emphasised that “anybody who doubts our resolve should quietly sit and watch events unfold. The only way IPOB agitation can stop this is, for our people vote in a referendum to embrace one Nigeria.”

Powerful said their consistent quest to restore Biafra has always been guided by history, noting that, “over the years, we as a people have been dealt such a bitter blow by the one Nigeria political project that we cannot allow this generation of Biafrans to be led down the same path of destruction yet again.

“Ohanaeze is repeating the mistakes of the past. They are making the mistake that Dr. Azikiwe made that got us into the mess we are in today. It is exactly what we are hearing from Ohaneze Ndigbo all over again.

Our people are tired of one Nigeria and helping them to be free is what IPOB is here to do.”

He noted that Ohanaeze Ndigbo must know that the Fulani Islamic caliphate will never allow restructuring along the lines of the 1963 Constitution or whatever version they intend to canvas. Aburi, he said, was about restructuring, adding that countless Confabs including the one convened by former President Jonathan are all there still waiting to be implemented.
“So what else is new about the current restructuring debate that will make the North concede to it? The obvious answer is nothing. If Ohanaeze Ndigbo is genuinely interested in restructuring, they should simply revisit Aburi Accord and stick to it.”
Powerful reiterated that IPOB is unarmed and peaceful and will remain so, stressing that, “we must agitate because we have the right to do so. We also have the natural right to protest and register our displeasure, which is what we shall do in Awka on Monday.” (Saturday Sun)

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