Fred Itua, Abuja
Former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has faulted claims credited to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), wherein he was accused of championing the 2017 Operation Python Dance in the South East.
In a Facebook message posted on his timeline late Sunday night, Ekweremadu said he needed to set the records straight.
He maintained that contrary to the claims made by IPOB, he wrote a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017 to call off the Python Dance operation in the five south eastern states.
On Saturday, Ekweremadu was attacked in Nuremberg, Germany, when he attended a New Yam Festival event. IPOB members could be seen in a trending social media video pelting Ekweremadu.
The viral video indicated that a rowdy session erupted at a meeting attended by Igbo in Germany and which Ekweremadu had attend.
In the video, Ekweremadu could be seen being whisked away in an ash-colour saloon car after it seemed his presence was not welcomed at the meeting.
The IPOB youths pelted him with objects from the hall down to the car that drove him away despite efforts by his aides to stop them.
Explaining further, Ekweremadu wrote: “Happy Sunday, my people. I must say a big thank you for the outpouring of love and solidarity in the face of the unprovoked attack on my person by members of the IPOB in Germany yesterday (Saturday).
“Meanwhile, I read IPOB statement claiming that they attacked me for instigating Operation Python Dance in the South East. Ironically, I engaged the presidency and concerned security agencies to try to prevent it.
“There is a report published in September 2017 on my letter to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, entitled ‘RISING TENSION IN THE SOUTH EAST: APPEAL TO CALL OFF OPERATION EGWU EKE.’
“This is just to put history straight for posterity sake. This is just for the sake of clarification. As I said, I don’t hold anything to heart against them.”