Boko Haram insurgency: Uwazuruike requests Ndigbo living in the North to return

Chief Ralph Uwazuruike who is the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has again requested Ndigbo residents in any part of northern Nigeria to relocate to Igboland with immediate effect so as not to fall prey to the raging Boko Haram insurgency in the region.
Uwazuruike who expressed worries over the constant killing of innocent Igbo sons and daughters doing legitimate businesses in the north, told reporters that, although it was painful for them to abandon their life-time investments in the north to relocate home, their lives were more precious than their wealth.
Speaking at the MASSOB headquarters, Okwe, near Okigwe, Imo State, the MASSOB leader regretted that his previous calls for his kinsmen to return at the beginning of the insurgency were not heeded, stressing that this accounts for why many Igbo sons and daughters have been killed by the insurgents.
He stressed that since the lives of Ndi-igbo could no longer be guaranteed by the Nigerian security forces, the only option left for them was to return home for now, warning that this might be his last time to make such a call.

Uwazurike recalled that the late Biafran war hero, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had similarly warned Ndigbo to return home before the outbreak of the Nigerian/Biafran civil war, adding that those who heeded the warning returned and saved their lives, while those who disobeyed perished with their investments.


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“Arewa Youths’ call for Nigeria’s dissolution is a treasonable offence” – Ohaneze Youth Council

The Ohaneze Youth Council, OYC, on Wednesday, slammed the Arewa Youth Development Foundation for its call for the dissolution of Nigeria as a country.

 Ohaneze Youths in a statement by its National President, Okechukwu Isiguzoro,described it as a big offence that should attract treason charges.

OYC also condemned the demand by the Arewa Youths for Southerners in the North to leave within two weeks and for Northerners in the South to do the same, saying that it was “uncalled for and unconstitutional”.
The Igbo in its statement said that “it was shocking that at this time Nigeria is passing through serious security breaches, some misguided youths under sponsorship by fifth columnists could be making divisive calls inimical to their fatherland.
“Our concern about the shameful outing in the palace of Emir of Kano is that the youths of the region who have been notoriously misruled for long by the same people that sent them on the dirty mission should have rather questioned their sponsors on their ignoble roles in bringing the region and Nigeria to its present situation.
“The same people that foisted penury, deprivation and frustration on the innocent talakwas (commoners) of the North are now sending them mischievously on an errand that threatens Nigeria’s unity. Our message to the contemporary youths of the North is to resist the attempt of the fifth columnist and merchants of topsy-turvy politics to herd them into an ill-fated mission”.
He urged other Northerners to resist those who hide under the cloak of the region to cause confusion and chaos, stressing that “we know these few elements that pretend to be the conscience of the North and we also know the true conscience of the North”.
He added that “Our attention has been drawn to a provocative warning against Ndigbo by the Arewa Consultative Forum, threatening to interfere with Igbo businesses in the North. This is also on the heels of the call by the Arewa Youth Development Foundation for Southerners to quit the North within two weeks.
“This is a similar approach to the event that culminated to the unfortunate crisis of the middle of late 60’s when undue sentiment, emotional outburst and propaganda were allowed to take the better part of reasoning of some people in the North. Later, millions of innocent Igbos and Easterners were to pay the supreme sacrifice”.
“The truth is that there is no single threat to any Northerner in the South East or Igboland. They are here doing their normal businesses and unmolested by anybody. The Governors of the zone as the Chief security officers of their various states only took constitutional measures to safeguard their states against insecurity, especially in view of the recent discoveries and arrests of Boko Haram suspects in the zone.
Do the Arewa people want the South-East Governors and people to keep quiet in the face of Boko Haram threat to the zone?” He queried.

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Umeh moves to dislodge Ngige from Senate, says he is right Rep for Igbos

APGA national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh reacting to his party’s victory at the INEC office in Awka

The national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, on Saturday bowed to pressures from the people of Anambra
State for him to contest for a seat in the senate to represent the people of Anambra Central Senatorial zone.
Umeh, who was at an event organised for the inauguration of APGA Solidarity Movement(ASM), was surprised when the event turned out to be a birthday party for him to mark his 52nd birthday.
It could be recalled that the leaders of APGA in the state had three months ago visited Umeh, urging him to throw his hat in the ring for the contest.
This was followed by another call from the seven local government chairmen that make up Anambra Central zone, and just last week, association of deputy chairmen of councils had also made the same@call, saying that it would be unfair on the part of Umeh to reject the offer.
During the celebration, a motion was moved by Emeka Okafor, andseconded by Comrade Chinedu Obidigwe, both leaders of APGA Solidarity Forum and United Anambra Youth Assembly, with a call on Umeh to join the race.
The groups’ leaders went further to present a mace to Chief Umeh, saying that it is the same mace which late former senate president, Chuba Okadigbo had brought back home during a crisis in the senate during his reign.
The group urged Umeh to go ahead, win the senatorial race and proceed to Abuja with the mace with the hope of becoming the senate president, so as to provide efficient representation, not only for Anambra Central but for Anambra State and the entire Igboland.
While responding to their request, Umeh said he was surprised that ASM. went forward to honour him by celebrating his birthday, despite his refusal to such request on several occasions.
“They came to me several times, saying they were organizing something to mark my 52nd birthday, but I chased them away. They persisted and came again, and I told them I was not going to celebrate because my wife is abroad on an important assignment.
“Coming to their request for me to contest the Anambra Central Senatorial race, I want to say that Awka North and South were the first to fire the first bullet in this direction. Leaders of the
councils that make up Anambra Central had also done so, and several
others.
“Igbo nation needs very strong sense of purpose and mission to rescue our people, Ojukwu first started it and I knew his mission and now he is gone, but that journey must continue, and am sure Ojukwu is there waiting for that to happen.
“We know what the rest of Nigeria thinks of the Igbos, because I was at the confab, there is need to provide effective representation for our people, and I want to say that there is still work to be done, and because of the support I have seen, having carefully examined the motion and recognized the need for APGA to win Anambra Central, I hereby throw my hat in the ring”, Umeh said.
Earlier, the state chairman of the party, Chief Mike Kwentoh, who inaugurated the ASM said it is the military arm of the party, which has the duty of scouting the entire state on a drive to bring all youths under the umbrella of APGA.
Other speakers expressed confidence that Umeh will not only win the race to represent Anambra Central in the senate on February, 14 2015, but will also go ahead to become the president of the senate and help to address the imbalance in the system, which has been against the Igbo nation.
Umeh while speaking with journalists said that his victory in the election will be a smooth sail and this will be facilitated by the poor performance of Senator Chris Ngige, who currently represents the zone.
“Come 2015, we will stop Ngige. We have been stopping them in governorship contests, and it is time to stop them in senatorial race.
We want to work as a team in Anambra, and we believe that if we all come from the same party, it will be easier.
“Today, we have a situation where the Governor, Chief Willie Obiano is working hard to rebuild Anambra, and each time he calls leaders of the state to reason together, Ngige will be away in Lagos dinning with his Yoruba friends. But if we all work as one, we can articulate our desire here before going to Abuja, and while we work there to help the governor, he (the governor) will also be working here to make things go well”.
Umeh rated Ngige’s performance very low, saying that he has blown the opportunity given to him by the people of the state, and that the same people will in 2015 take away power from him.

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