TheCable

Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former governor of Anambra state, says the Igbo will not secede from the country because of President Muhammadu Buhari.

THISDAY quoted Ezeife as saying this when he spoke with journalists on Thursday night on the sidelines of a presentation of three books authored by May Ikokwu, founder of Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been agitating for the south-east to secede from Nigeria.

The former governor said the Igbo should be careful, adding that “If somebody is targeting to kill us, should we go and kill ourselves?”

“We must be careful with ourselves, we Igbo people,” he said.

“If somebody is targeting to kill us, should we go and kill ourselves? Let us tell our people the truth, we are not leaving Nigeria tomorrow and those who know don’t even want to leave.

“Are we leaving because of one man, Buhari? Before Buhari, were we being pushed out of Nigeria? I said Buhari has been pushing us out of Nigeria. Should we obey him?”

Ezeife expressed optimism that the forthcoming Anambra governorship election will be peaceful, adding that God has accepted a south-easterner as president of the country.

“It (2023) depends on us and as far as I know, our God has accepted the idea of a south-easterner as the president of Nigeria,” he said.

“That is why he is bringing about a new Nigeria because the Nigeria of old which we have today is no longer going to stay.

“The country won’t break up and Anambra election will also come and it will be peaceful with the right person emerging the winner.

“Egalitarianism which is Igbo culture will spread. Who makes Nigeria look like a country today? Tell me? It is only Igbo people you will find in every part of Nigeria and they develop it and they don’t do it in hiding.

“An Igbo man does not go into hiding to trade and therefore he goes to spread that economic knowledge. An Igbo president will make Nigeria grow exponentially, economically.

“We are not there for vengeance. No way. In fact, an Igbo man fights an Igbo man more than he fights a non-Igbo, therefore Nigeria is facing a new life.

“The conscience that is dead in Nigeria will resurrect.”