Politics

Presidency: Keep Off Southeast, You Denied Being Igbo Man, IPOB Warns Wike

Published

2 years ago

April 27, 2022

Editor

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday warned Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and a Presidential aspirant to steer clear of the Southeast.

IPOB said Wike denied having any links with the Southeast in the past, hence should keep off the region as he tries to canvas for votes.

Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, issued the warning while condemning Wike’s recent visit to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe.

Recalling the killings in Obigbo, Rivers State, IPOB vowed to go all out against anybody who hosts Wike in the Southeast.

In a statement, Powerful said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential aspirant should be ashamed of himself for begging Igbos for votes.

Powerful said Wike denied being an Igboman; hence visiting the Southeast may consume him.

He said: “We, the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU condemn the recent visit by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to Obi of Onitsha Igwe Alfred Achebe in Anambra State. The visit is part of the reasons the youths are not happy with Igbo leaders.

“IPOB will not take it lightly on any person who intends to host Nyesom Wike in the hinterland after the genocide he committed in #Obigbo, and he declared that he is not an Igboman. Wike is a genocidist and should not be forgiven. His father took over Igbo property in the name of abandoned property and he trained Wike with the money he accumulated from abandoned property he collected from Igbo people in Igweocha after the war of genocide against the Igbo people in 1970, which moved Wike to hate anything associated with Igbo but he should not come for Igbo vote. We are warning him.

“Gov, Nyesom Wike committed genocide against the people in his state claiming he is not Igbo man and today he became an Igbo man because of political interest and votes he needs from Igbo land, Wike refused to understand that a time like this will come in his Iife. Wike should be ashamed of himself because he could openly beg Igbo people for one vote in the election.”

The separatist group stressed that Wike’s visit to the Southeast is highly provocative.

IPOB added: “Is Wike coming to urinate on the graves of the Igbo youths he slaughtered in Obigbo during the #EndSARS protests? His visits to any Igbo state is highly provocative because some of the Igbo youths taken into several security cells in the Northern states are yet to return. Wike and his advisers should stop daring IPOB and Igbo youths. Wike’s family, friends and associates should advise him to stay off any state in Igbo land because it may consume him, anybody who knows him should let him know that.

“We are equally warning any traditional ruler, PG, Chief, elder, Governor or anybody who will invite Wike in any part of Igbo land to tread with caution because that amounts to challenging Igbo youths and IPOB members.

“Those hosting Wike now, where were they when Wike was ordering the killing of Igbo youths at Obigbo? They all maintained criminal silence then. Are they now rewarding him for killing Igbo youths? Love for money has enslaved elders and traditional rulers who should know better but we won’t tolerate that anymore. Wike cannot be going about celebrating in Igbo states which he denied having any links with after ordering the execution of Igbo youths and suspected IPOB members. This is iniquity against the innocent victims of his wicked actions.

“Wike said he was not Igbo and we have taken him by his words that he is not Igbo and can never become Igbo man because he hates Igbo with passion.

“We respect Igwe Achebe because he is a respected traditional ruler in Igbo land but we want him and others to keep a distance from Wike because Wike hates Igbo if they don’t know and if they don’t retrace their steps let the public never blame us.

“Those Wike arrested and handed over to Fulani controlled federal government in Abuja are still there till today languishing in different security detentions. We managed to release more than a thousand (1000) innocent citizens both men and women most of whom were raped at these security detentions and dungeons.

“Considering all his wickedness to the Igbo youths at Obigbo in Rivers State, we declare that Wike has no moral ground to even contemplate not of the temerity to want to visit any part of Igbo land. He is, therefore, not welcome to any Igbo State. Wike cannot be coming to Igbo land to spit and dance on the graves of those he unjustly slaughtered and we all know that he is a demented fellow.”

Politics

Atiku Hints On Supporting Obi For 2027 Presidential Race

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that if in 2027, the party decides that it is the South-East’s turn and selects Peter Obi as its candidate, he will readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

He added that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Atiku added that members of the party would decide his fate in the 2027 general elections.

The former Vice President mentioned that his recent meeting with Obi might indicate a possible alliance leading up to the 2027 general elections.

Responding to questions about the meeting with Obi, Atiku said, “It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”

On whether this will bring about a merger, he said, “Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible, and nothing can stop it if we wish to achieve that.”

The former Vice President, who denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion, said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

On why he’s still in active politics, Atiku said, “Yes, we can’t keep quiet and watch things go wrong. People are suffering and we are committed to making Nigeria a better place.

“It means you are not tired of politics of Nigeria? Not at all. I am still in active politics in Nigeria, at least, as long as God permits.

“My age doesn’t stop the young ones from testing their fate. Everybody, irrespective of age, is allowed to aspire to be anybody in the society, politically or otherwise.”

Regarding his 2027 Presidential ambition, the former Vice President said “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.

“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.

“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”

Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections.

Obi was a PDP member until 2022, when he left to pursue his presidential ambitions with the Labour Party.

He finished third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Atiku blamed Obi’s departure from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.

Analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes combined with Obi’s 6,101,533 votes could have secured a win against Tinubu, who received 8,794,726 votes.

Monday’s meeting marked the first public interaction between Obi and Atiku since the election.

Social media and online platforms were flooded with viral photos of Obi’s meetings with the three PDP figures on Monday.

In 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the PDP ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

However, due to internal conflicts, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.