FORGET BIAFRA,OHANEZE NDI IGBO PRESIDENT TELLS IPOB,OTHERS

The President General of Ndigbo apex body, the Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo has  called on separatist groups in the south-east to perish the thought of a separate nation for the Igbo race.

Groups like the Movement for the Actualisation of  Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB) and Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB) have been in the vanguard of the agitation of a separate Biafra nation to be excised out of Nigeria.

But in  a statement made available to newsmen on Friday by the President General of Ohanaeze, Nwodo told a cross section of Ndigbo leaders in Abuja on Thursday that no ethnic group has more stake in  the Nigerian project than the Igbo and as such could not consider a break up as a viable option.

Nwodo said that there is no part of this country where Ndigbo have not invested their resources even without any corresponding investment from others in Igboland.

He  further noted that the Ohanaeze  acknowledged  the grievances of groups like MASSOB and IPOB  but “doesn’t believe that leaving the country is a reasonable option at this time.’’

Nwodo said that the various segments of Igbo leadership comprising the Ohanaeze leadership, Governors, National Assembly members, traditional and religious leaders after deliberating on the situation in Enugu came to the conclusion that the restructuring option is the reasonable way to go.

He  expressed the conviction that ‘’restructuring will bring Nigeria to a level where every person of which ever tribe, religion or class would have a sense of belonging and in return give in their best for the development of the country.’’

Nwodo  further disclosed that  steps were being taken by the apex body leadership to carry along the youths of the region and ensure that the Ndigbo have a common and unified position on the way forward for them.
The Ohanaeze President General  insisted  “that equal partnership, equal ownership and level playing ground for all is the right way to go to bring the best in our people and set the country on the path of growth and development,’’ Nwodo said.