Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has berated the leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for allegedly destroying late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s ideals for the party.
Condemning the internal crisis rocking APGA following what it called the loss of trust and confidence, MASSOB warned that any legacy involving Ojukwu’s name and person were genuinely involved must not be destroyed.
In a statement issued by MASSOB’s Deputy Leader, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwe, the group said that APGA was 80 per cent intact when it was handed to Governor Willie Obiano as leader and Chief Victor Oye as National Chairman and wondered why the incumbent leadership of the party would allow Ojukwu’s legacy to be killed.
The statement reads in parts: “The leadership of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has frown and condemned the internal crisis and loss of trust and confidence rocking the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), a political party that is generally believed and adjusted as Igbo regional party.
“MASSOB as a stakeholder in the affairs of Ndigbo is not happy about this APGA degeneration. Our major concern in this political ill wind is borne out of the fact that the name of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu) was involved in APGA.
“MASSOB warns that every legacy that the name and person of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu is genuinely involved will never be allowed to be destroyed.”
The group advised Governor Obiano’s and Oye to desist from carrying on as if all was well with the party when indeed it was crumbling.
“MASSOB advises the leadership of APGA and Governor Willie Obiano to stop pretending that Ojukwu’s political dynasty is intact while both the outer walls and internal pillars are heavily cracking.
“APGA, as the political bride of Ndigbo was healthy and 80 per cent intact when it was handed over to Chief Willie Obiano as governor and Chief Victor Oye the national chairman, but today APGA is deteriorating with an infectious disease of pathological hatred, character assassination/blackmailing and selfish syndrome of the group and self-interest.
“Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu will never forgive those killing APGA with the external collaborators because of their selfishness and personal ego.
“MASSOB recalled that some prominent Igbo leaders that started their political journey with APGA have left the party with different reasons of Ill treatments. We advise the current co-pilot leaders of APGA in the duo of Chief Willie Obiano and Chief Victor Oye to urgently emphasis on productive steps leading to reviving the battered image of APGA which was dragged through political mud during and after the last general elections.
“It is very painful to note that many Igbo political elites which include Chief Chekwas Okorie, Senator Ifeanyi Uba, Mr Peter Obi, Iyom Bianca Ojukwu, Chief Emeka Ojukwu jnr, Martin Agbaso, etc left APGA on excuses of ill-treatment. Blackmailing and rumours are currently going on that some prominent pillars of APGA like Chief Alex Otti and Senator Victor Umeh will be expelled from APGA.”
MASSOB, however, sued for internal harmony in APGA to enable a viable political environment for the reconstruction of the battered image of the party.