No Condemnation. . . No Approval: Igbo Governors shy away from condemning Buhari for killing innocent Biafran protesters

No Condemnation. . . No Approval: Igbo Governors shy away from condemning Buhari for killing innocent Biafran protesters

Igbo governors met today at Enugu to discuss the Biafran uprising. They however, failed to condemn General Muhammadu Buhari from unleashing Nigerian Army and police on peaceful Biafran protesters. The governors rather prefered to advise Biafran youths to embrace peace.

According to the governors  toeing the line of peace was the only way to ensure lasting peace in the land.

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who read a communiqué on behalf of his colleagues, said South-East governors would consult widely with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious bodies and town unions on how to ensure lasting peace in the zone.

Surprisingly, the governors did not condemn or approve  the Biafra Biafran protest. The chose a position of neutrality to safeguard their political seats. The massive protests were  triggered by the unlawful detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

I their usual case the governors would have said something against the protesting Biafrans in order to please their Hausa-Fulani masters. Obviously, the governors are understanding the prevailing body language and mood of the land. The massive protests have demonstrated how precarious their position is as well as their lack of grassroot support. The protests have exposed the lack of mandate of the governors to speak for Biafrans.

Read More:

You have no MANDATE to speak for Biafrans - IPOB excoriates Okorocha and co

BUT, shame on the governors! Buhari openly condemned the Goodluck Jonathan-led Nigerian government over its attack on Boko Haram terrorist. Buhari had infamously declared that an attack on Boko Haram, was an attack on the entire Northern Nigerian people. So if Buhari could openly condemn Jonathan for fighting terrorists, why can't Biafran governors condemn Buhari for killing innocent Biafrans peacefully protesting injustice.

The meeting, which held at the Government House, Enugu, was attended by governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu; Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia; and Okorocha.

Anambra State was represented by the deputy governor, Nkem Okeke, while Ebonyi State was absent.

At the end of the meeting, which lasted about three hours, the governors resolved to consult stakeholders in the South-East over the ongoing agitation, which had led to mass protests in some major cities in the zone.

Reading a communiqué signed by all the governors at a news conference held shortly after a closed-door meeting, Okorocha said a high-level meeting to be attended by the governors, National Assembly members and ministers from the South-East as well as other ‘invited stakeholders’ would hold on Sunday.

The high-level stakeholders’ meeting, which is to hold in Enugu, would also deliberate on the pro-Biafran agitation.

Reading from the communiqué, Okorocha said, “The issue of MASSOB (Movement for the Actualisation of Biafra) and IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) was discussed.

“We resolved to consult widely with stakeholders, including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, traditional rulers, religious bodies, town unions and others on how to ensure lasting peace in the zone.

“A meeting of stakeholders, including National Assembly members and ministers from the zone and other invited stakeholders will hold in Enugu on Sunday.”

Asked which faction of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo they intended to consult, following the leadership crisis within the body, Okorocha said the governors were not interested in the leadership politics rocking the association.

“Whatever is available as Ohanaeze, we shall receive for the purpose of this meeting. We are not going into Ohanaeze politics,” he said.

Okorocha also dismissed the insinuations that the South-East Governors’ Forum was suffering from lack of leadership, following the exit of the former chairman and ex-Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji.

The forum has not met since May 29, 2015, and nobody has been elected to replace Orji.

“There is no vacuum in leadership. Any of the governors can chair this meeting,” Okorocha said in response to questions over the forum’s inability to meet.

Also at the meeting, the governors resolved to appoint a high-level economic advisory committee to facilitate the development and implementation of a common economic agenda in the zone.

The proposed committee would also facilitate economic cooperation among the states.

In the same vein, the governors expressed displeasure over the bad conditions of federal roads in the South-East.

They reminded the Federal Government that the roads required urgent attention.