Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World wide has disclosed the apex sociocultural organization’s willingness to negotiate with Mr. Simeon Ekpa, the factional leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the persistent imposition of sit-at-home on South-East, which is crippling the zone
Iwuanyanwu also known as Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, disclosed this in Owerri, Imo State, while addressing media executives in his Glass House Orji-Owerri office complex, noting that the directive had caused a lot of mayhem to the region and needs to be halted immediately.
He expressed sadness in the actions of Ekpa who is resident in Finland and against the advise of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the defacto Leader of IPOB.
According to the Ohanaeze President, ” the rumour that some one who’s living in far away Finland is threatening and again issuing sit at home order for people in the South East, especially Imo State should be rescinded no matter the level of misunderstanding and annoyance. It’s not in the character of Igbo people to kill human beings not even themselves. I have passed the crucibles of life, fighting the courses of Igbo race.
“I am ready to negotiate with them no matter their grievances. Am ready to dialogue with them in the overall interest of the ethnic nationality and Nigeria at large.
“Simeon Ekpa is one of my sons even though he has unjustly insulted and abused me severally. I have forgiven him.
“He threatened to kill me at 82 alleging I placed ransom on his head, which is not true. I have nothing against him as a young man with better future.
“I have told him and some of his likes that we don’t need violence to achieve Biafra as an independent nation actualization of Biafra independence should be a product of mutual dialogue. We don’t need violence during elections in Igboland.
“The region is not willing to be plugged into war again, honestly, It’s not necessary, instead of these killings of Igbo men and women, we should beg them to support plebiscites as strategic means of achieving the dream independence.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has spoken through his Lawyers and family members, that he has no hand in the sit at home order.
“I’m being threatened by Ekpa and his group. Am willing to use non kinetic energy to address their issues. They should have a rethink and make a retreat. Killings and arsons are against the Christian and traditional faith”.
On the forthcoming Imo governorship election, he advised Imo electroates to come out en masse and vote among the 18 gubernatorial candidates of their choice.
Iwuanyanwu described Imo people as peaceful, law abiding and patriotic noting that the insecurities in the State which he said is condemnable is being done by outsiders just to strangulate the activities of the state.
He insisted that Ndigbo are naturally peaceful and responsible people that abhor killing and destruction of people’s properties and every action should be put in place to the issues.
