Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Friday, told the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) to channel their grievances to leaders of the zone for embezzling public funds and impoverishing the people of southeast since 1999 to date.
Engr. Chidi-Ibeh led Ohaneze, stated this in a statement signed by the Secretary-General of the Igbo group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and made available to journalists in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
Ohaneze said that if the group tackles leaders from the zone, both past and present that they will sit up.
The statement reads: “IPOB should channel their antagonism to the southeast politicians that have squandered the peoples’ resources from 1999 to date. IPOB should conduct forensic scrutiny on the financial recklessness of former southeast Governors, former federal lawmakers, and others who have received allocation and constituency funds since 1999 to date.
“If IPOB tackles southeast politicians, they will sit up and render their stewardship to the people. We must hold our leaders accountable, as they constitute the major problem in the southeast, IPOB should face southeast political leaders before tackling Buhari.
“Southeast political leaders should face the consequences of their leadership failure over the years. IPOB should query why there are no available hospitals, schools in the rural areas of the southeast, this is the new narrative to move and it will make southeast political leaders face developmental projects rather than siphoning the wealth of the people”, the statement reads.
The group also assured IPOB that the federal government will soon release their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, adding that the alleged assassination attempt on Kanu was not possible.
Ohaneze maintained that any attempt to assassinate Nnamdi Kanu will bring an end to Nigeria as a nation, adding that Nigeria and the Federal Government know the consequences of hurting a British citizen in their custody.
Meanwhile, notable leaders from the Southeast geopolitical zones on Friday met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the President’s office, Presidential Villa, Abuja, to discuss Kanu’s release.
The delegation was led by Hon. Mbazulike Amaechi and had in attendance a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, the Co-Chair, Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, Mr. Tagbo Amaechi, and Chief Barr. Goddy Uwazurike.
Ohaneze commended Buhari for initiating the dialogue. They urged him to keep to his own side of the bargain.