The proscribed group, Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), has cautioned former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, to stay-off the election for the next President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Reacting to the endorsement of Okiro by a faceless group: ‘Ogbako Egbema’, IPOB warned against disrupting the zonal arrangement in electing Ohanaeze’s President-General.
IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said some influential people in Imo State are behind the move to rubbish Okiro’s integrity and that of Ohanaeze.
In an issued statement he signed, Powerful noted that it is the turn of Rivers State to produce the next Ohanaeze President-General and not Imo. Hence, those endorsing Okiro should back-off.
According to Powerful: “It is obvious that some influential individuals in the Imo State government are behind this move to rubbish the integrity of Mike Okiro and decimate Ohanaeze Ndigbo the way they have sought to destroy Imo State.
“This faceless group is speaking for the enemies of Ndigbo, whose interest is to disorganise Alaigbo. These people cannot truncate the legitimate turn of Rivers State to produce the next Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General.
“It is imperative that we warn those peddling falsehoods and endorsing Mike Okiro to contest for the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to desist from disrupting its zoning structure. The retired Police IG, Mike Okiro, should not allow himself to be used to destroy the cohesion of the Igbo race.
“The contest for the President-General slot is reserved for the Igbos in Rivers State. Okiro is from Imo State; he contested against the Late Prof. George Obiozor during Imo State’s turn to produce the President-General and lost. Anybody, or group, trying to drag Mike Okiro into contesting against Rivers State Igbos is trying to foment trouble, and IPOB will give that person or group back the problem they are clamouring for.
“The era of allowing Ohanaeze Ndigbo to drift and serve as a willing tool for the enemies of Ndigbo to control our political destiny has come to an end”, he further stated.
