The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared that the south-East will abstain from the proposed October 1 nationwide protests.
In a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro at the weekend, the organisation stated that the group is encountering increasing pressure from the organisers and conveners of the forthcoming October 1st nationwide protests, dubbed: “Fearless and National Survival Day”.
He warned that organizers of the October 1st protests are exploiting the economic hardship in the country to “ensnare our people into a movement that could have grave implications”.
The statement further said, “We wish to impart an unequivocal message to all Ndigbo, both at home and in the Diaspora: the October 1st Nationwide Protests represent a perilous time bomb set by desperate political elites and opposition leaders intent on utilising the Igbos as sacrificial lambs.
“Such machinations are designed to escalate the already heightened tensions that are exacerbated by the ongoing economic downturn.
“In this light, we urge our esteemed Igbo community to refrain from participating in any form of nationwide protests. The repercussions of such actions may not only be detrimental, but could also result in the Igbos being unfairly cast as scapegoats in a larger political game”.
