Biafra: Group carpets Buhari over non-recognition of Igbo leaders’ efforts

From AIDOGHIE PAULINUS, Abuja

Miffed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day broadcast, a pro- democracy organisation, the Advocate for a  Better Nigeria (ABN), has slammed the president for what they called ‘ingratitude and selective deafness towards  the efforts  of leaders from the South East’.

The group noted that many prominent  businessmen, former governors, professional bodies, traditional rulers and leaders from the academia, had at various times, risked their lives in speaking against separatism.

In a communique issued, on Tuesday, at the end of a two-day conference, in Enugu, to mark the group’s 10 years anniversary and signed by its National Coordinator and General Secretary, Dr. Tony Okeke and  Barrister Barth Node, respectively, the group said President Buhari’s broadcast had raised their doubts about the president’s knowledge of events around him.

The president had, in his broadcast, condemned  the activities of the separatist movements and  also chided  leaders from South East.

The President had read, “I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there,  the consequences of such folly.”

But the group said it was sad that Nigeria was in the hands of a president whose capacity to govern a country like Nigeria was below average.

According to the group, “The northerners are only good in using the Igbo and dumping them. How can a president make such erroneous statement when it is obvious that many leaders from the South East, including former governors, businessmen,  top politicians, church leaders and leaders from academia have not only been speaking against the secessionist movement, but have also sacrificed so much to it. Yet the president is claiming to be ignorant of those efforts.

“The right thing to do was to commend those whose efforts have helped in curtailing the activities. There are those whose voice have been for the silent majority. Condemning even those that have put in resources only shows the level of hatred Buhari has for the entire Igbo race,”  the statement read in part.

The group further said, “the failure to do even the least expected thing from this government shows the level of despondence and unwillingness to work with the Igbo.”