SECOND TERM FOR BUHARI: Okorocha on his own, Ohanaeze says

Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Thursday said that the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha does not speak for Ndigbo people on the issue of giving support to

President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.

According to the pan-Igbo group, Okorocha can speak for himself, and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state, but certainly not for Ndigbo.

The group’s national publicity secretary, Mr. Uche Achi-Okaga, in a statement he released in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, said the Imo governor “can speak for Imo APC or the government of Imo State, but he is not in a good stead to speak for Ndigbo.”

Achi-Okaga also stated that no matter the political inclination of any politician, the group is only interested in the restructuring of Nigeria, and will only stand with a party with that agenda.

The body said that an Igbo presidency without a politically restructured Nigeria will amount to nothing and will in no way end the present agitations coming from various ethnic groups across the country.

“Mind you that in Ohanaeze we are focused, so that one cannot use the issue of Igbo presidency to distract us. On restructuring we stand. Igbo presidency without restructuring will make little or no difference, neither would the various ethnic agitations cease.

“Defection of some Igbo personalities to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is of no relevance to Ohanaeze. One can defect to Heaven or hell but Ndigbo will not identify with any political party that is not in marriage with restructuring,” part of the statement read.

On the rumoured death of President Buhari and other national issued Ohanaeze said, “The rumoured death of the President, God forbid that we should wish anybody death, because death is like an identity card which we all have with its attendant expiry date.

“However, if you occupy a public position maintained with tax payers’ money (including but not limited to medical trips) it behoves that you should account to them in all ramifications. The presidential Aides who are keeping mum on the President’s health condition are severely owing Nigerians that obligation.

“It smells to high heavens that even the Minister of Information (who is also paid with tax payers money) cannot inform Nigerians on the issue. Instead, he prefers to tell us about the stale news of ‘information about Book Haram.

“The issue affecting Apostle Suleiman suggests that the truth is hidden. We read in the tabloids that Northern Governors said the rampaging herdsmen are foreigners, none of the security agencies refuted or questioned the governors.

“Now does it mean that we should allow foreigners to come and be killing Nigerians? We demand an explanation even as we condemn violence and inciting words or actions”.