You’re not fit to lead us, group knocks Nwodo over comment on Buhari govt

The Igbo in Nigeria Movement (IMN) a socio-political organisation of the Igbos faulted a recent statement credited to John Nwodo of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, where he accused President Muhammadu Buhari of enthroning ethnicism into the nation’s polity.

INM warned Nwodo to stop whipping up ethnic sentiments in Igbo land and by extension Nigeria with his unguarded and crude comments.

The group in a statement by its president, Maxi Ifeanyi Igwe said Nwodo’s outburst was unbecoming of an elder statesman that is meant to serve as a uniting figure and not a divisive figure in the country and within the people of the South East region in Nigeria.

The statement below.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement thinks that what the country needs at this material time is unity and not division as exemplified by John Nwodo in his cancerous and unguarded statement.

While it is appropriate for John Nwodo to support the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the recently held general elections, it is, however, inappropriate for him to continue to express his frustrations as that of the generality of the Igbos in Nigeria.

It is, therefore, our considered opinion that the likes of Nwodo should stop playing the ethnic card that is capable of putting the Igbo nation at war with other ethnicities in Nigeria. What Nigeria needs is healing and not war. This Nwodo should know better.

While it is common knowledge that many groups including churches, development partners, religious and ethnic associations, have all come out to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari over his resounding victory at the polls, the likes of Nwodo instead is reminding President Muhammadu Buhari that the Igbos didn’t vote for him and as such does not deserve any political appointment.

INM, views such statements as highly divisive and against the interest of the Igbo race and as such Nwodo must discontinue his attempt to cause disaffection and pandemonium in Igbo land by promoting his personal hateful as that of Ndi’Igbo .

The INM also wishes to remind Nwodo that he is ultimately setting up the Igbos against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, an act that is unbecoming of an elder statesman. It is his game plan that no Igbo should be considered for any sensitive position hence the timing of his outburst.

The INM hopes that Nwodo has not allowed himself to be used by some unscrupulous people to tarnish his image and that of the Igbo race by deliberately whipping up a hornets’ nest that would serve the Igbo race no good.

The Nwodo that we used to know would not engage in acts that would put the Igbo race at grave danger, but we are afraid to state that the recent posturing of Nwodo is strange and inimical to the interest of the Igbo race. This he must retrace immediately.

Consequently, we wish to state emphatically that the Igbo in Nigeria Movement and all Igbo sons and daughters disassociates from Nwodo’s statement and wishes to place it on record that his views do not represent the thinking of majority Igbo sons and daughters across Nigeria but that of a few in the journey of infamy with Nwodo.

The INM wishes to place it on record that Igbo sons and daughters have decided to come together in total support for the success of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari towards taking Nigeria to greater heights. It is now a known fact that despite several attempts by Nwodo to smear the reputation of Buhari in the south-east and the rigging plots by the opposition party, our people still voted for President Buhari overwhelmingly and will continue to stand by his administration including the security agencies where he has appointed very competent hands.