TheCable

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for “strongly backing Western Sahara’s agitation to break away from Morocco” but rejecting its quest for an independent Biafra.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, the group accused the president of hypocrisy.

Buhari had said in his Monday broadcast that Nigeria’s unity is “settled and non-negotiable“.

He said he had agreed with Odumegwu Ojukwu, late Igbo leader, that Nigeria will remain as one.

But IPOB described Buhari’s claim as “comical and unfounded” and urged the president to “face the present reality”.

The statement read: “Interestingly enough, there is a well-circulated video of President Buhari addressing the 70th summit of the United Nations General Assembly in New York where he stated unequivocally that no nation, no matter how small, should be denied the right to self-determination.

“Buhari in his characteristic hypocrisy failed to mention the fact that he is a staunch campaigner for self-determination for Palestine and Western Sahara. This same Buhari is the major backer of Western Sahara campaign to break away from Morocco.

“The question that must be answered is why it is possible for Buhari to champion the cause of self-determination for Muslims in Israel and Morocco but not so for Biafrans who are Judeo-Christians in the British-created Nigeria?

“During his uninspiring nationwide broadcast littered with dictatorial proclamations, the only take away point in the entire turgid show of shame is that Nigeria must remain one; primarily because the dominant cabal which he represents does not want to lose their stranglehold on the finances of Nigeria.

“We find it laughable that Major General Muhammadu Buhari will embark on the futile journey of deceiving the general public about his brief encounter with Ojukwu in 2003.

“President Muhammadu Buhari and other government functionaries, especially politicians, should stop deceiving themselves about the true nature of the raging Biafran agitation because they cannot provide any incontrovertible proof or verifiable evidence where the agreement was made between Buhari and Chief Ojukwu to keep Nigeria one. And they should stop calling Ojukwu’s name.”