In what appears to be a further push for his agenda, the self-acclaimed President of the Biafra Zionists Federation, Barr. Benjamin Onwuka, has extended invitation to the people of the defunct Biafra Republic for his inauguration on July 30.

This is also as he penciled names of some prominent persons for inauguration as cabinet members.

Onwuka, in a statement made available to journalists in Enugu on Tuesday, invited for the inauguration, Prof. Pat Utomi as Foreign Minister; Arunma Otteh, Minister of Finance; Prof. Chuwkuma Soludo, Central Bank Governor; Maxwell Mba Okpo, Minister of Petroleum; Amarachi Ubani, Minister of Information; May Okafor, Trade and Industry Minister; Gabriel Oluwole Osagie, Minister of Education; Jerry Gana, Transportation Minister; Labaran Maku, Aviation Minister; Benie Lar, Secretary to the Government; Dr. Uzodinma Achebe, UN Ambassador; and Dr. John Nnia Nwodo, US Ambassador.

News Express could not confirm if any of those penciled down was reached by Onwuka and what their response was if he did contact them.

The Zionists’ leader in yesterday’s statement also came hard on the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, who had warned against blanket demonisation of herdsmen, especially of the Fulani stock.

Kukah likened the uproar and profiling of the Fulani to what happened to the Igbo leading up to the Nigerian civil war between 1967 and 1970.

“If it is Fulani today, yesterday it was the Igbos,” he had said.

But Onwuka took on him, describing the Bishop’s stand as “a blind analogy. In the events that preceded the civil war, the Biafrans faced genocide in the Northern part of the country.

“Today, the same Fulani have brought the genocide down here to our land on the pretext of rearing cattle. So, we are the victims yesterday, we are the victims today.

“This is least expected from someone at the level of Kukah, but he chose to rewrite history. This is so shameful.”

Onwuka, while calling for mass return of people of the area, issued fresh ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen to vacate the region.

“In furtherance to my earlier statement, I want to inform our people that our July 30 inauguration stands. I will be at the forefront. All Biafrans, wherever they are, are requested to be at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, for the occasion.

“No one should entertain any fear because we have the backing of the United States and Israel,” he claimed.

On his ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen, Onwuka said: “They have until the night of 29th July to leave Biafra land. I’m closing down Lokpanta in Abia State and any of such places in Biafra land.

“Similarly, Ruga cannot be said to be suspended, but abolished. No such word should be mentioned again in Biafra land; it should be limited to 12 states in the North,” he warned.

Update news