Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has strongly condemned the disruption of Labour Party meeting in Enugu by unidentified gunmen.
Ohanaeze which described the incident as alien to Igbo shared values, sternly warned that the incident should be the last of such ugly scenario.
Ohanaeze in a press statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said it was shameful that at a time when other parts of the country, were warmly embracing the clamour for power shift to the South-East, hooligans were coming to disrupt the gathering of the party set to actualise the Igbo dream.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read in part: “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to the unprovoked attack and disruption of a Labour Party meeting on Saturday, September 25, 2022, in Nomeh, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
“It is inconceivable that at a time eminent persons and groups from all over the world are embracing the Labour Party as the quintessence of equity, justice, hope, economic emancipation, social Risorgimento and inter-ethnic unity in Nigeria, some disgruntled scoundrels are busy disrupting their meetings at the grassroots in the South-East.
“We hope that we are speaking to the hearts of many, that it sends a very wrong signal about the very core essence for which the Igbo are known. Ohanaeze warns that this should be the last time such incidents will be recorded in any part of Igbo land.”
Ohanaeze said that security officers at each unit of Igbo administration “are hereby requested to ensure that there will never be a repeat of such irresponsible unwarranted and shameful embarrassment to the Igbo.”
The statement further stated that “political parties of all persuasions are free to market their manifestos and canvass for votes in all the country; but nothing in the wildest imagination should compel the so called unknown gunmen or the vile partisans masquerading as political leaders to employ the use of thugs to disrupt or attack political meetings in Igbo land.”
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation warned Igbo politicians not to sacrifice Igbo interest on the altars of their party interests.
“If one must work for his party or a candidate of his choice, such narrow interests must never go the extra mile to jeopardize the general Igbo interest.”
