Progressives Congress an 'anti-Igbo political party' if it fails to
apologise to a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika,
within 48 hours.
The threat, which the Ohanaeze Youth Wing issued in a statement
jointly signed by its National Secretary, Emmanuel Nnabuike, and
Publicity Secretary, Obinna Adibe, followed the APC's call for
Iherjika's prosecution over alleged sponsorship of the Boko Haram
sect.
The APC demanded Ihejirika's prosecution in the wake of claims made by
Australian negotiator, Mr. Stephen Davies.
In the statement titled, "Ongoing Attempts To Brand Gen. Ihejirika a
Boko Haram Sponsor," the Ohanaeze youths described Davies' claims as
"spurious."
The group expressed regrets that the APC did not bother to ascertain
the veracity of the negotiator's allegations before calling for
Ihejirika's prosecution.
Ohanaeze youths noted that Ihejirika deserved an apology from the APC
since the Department of State Security had absolved him of complicity
in the sponsorship of the Boko Haram sect
"It is on record that the same people trying to frame up Gen.
Ihejirika are the same people who claimed they would make Nigeria
ungovernable for President Jonathan in the aftermath of the 2011
presidential election.
"We view the call for Ihejirika's trial by the All Progressives
Congress through its spokesman-Alhaji Lai Mohammed, without bothering
to confirm the authenticity of the statement, as malicious and
premeditated.
"Now that the Department of State Security has officially absolved
Ihejirika of any complicity in the matter, we ask the APC to issue an
apology to Gen. Ihejirika and Ndigbo within 48 hours.
"If they fail to do so, the APC shall be formally labeled an anti-Igbo
party and other sanctions shall follow," Ohanaeze youths said.
Continuing, the group described Davies as a mercenary.
"Security is too weighty a matter to be politicized. Therefore it is
unpatriotic for political leaders to embark on character assassination
based on unsubstantiated and misguided rumours.
"Dr Stephen Davies has shown himself to be a mercenary, whose stock in
trade is the distortion of information in order to cause chaos,
thereby creating more business for him," the group said.
Ohanaeze youth wing added that Davies employed "cheap propaganda
tactics" by naming Ihejirika alongside a former Borno State Governor,
Ali Modu Sheriff, who had been linked with the emergence and
sponsorship of Boko Haram as the sect's sponsor in order to lend
credence to his claims in the eyes of "gullible members of the
public."
The group noted that Davies did not proffer a single shred of evidence
or motivation for Ihejirika, a Christian and an Igbo from the
South-East, to sponsor Boko Haram.
Further casting doubt on Davies' claims, the group noted that his
allegation that the Central Bank of Nigerian official who handled the
funding of Boko Haram was an uncle to three of the Nyanya bombing
suspects. "He was equally disproved by the DSS thereby showing his
story to be faulty.
"It is uncharitable for Nigerians to reward someone who laid down his
life in the defence of his country by associating him with the
sponsorship of the sect," Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing said.
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