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Raymond Ozoji, Awka
Ohanaeze-Ndigbo, a non-governmental socio-cultural organization, has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term in office was a nightmare for the Igbo nation in Nigeria.
The organization held that Ndigbo were marginalised and shortchanged in federal appointments as well as allocation of social amenities.
State president of Ohanaeze in Anambra, Ichie Damian Okeke Ogene, who spoke with our correspondent in a telephone interview concerning the blight allegedly cast on the Igbo nation by the Buhari administration, stated that unless Buhari changed his mindset about Ndigbo, his second term might be another holocaust for Igbo people.
Ogene is of the opinion that the President should see the entire country as his constituency, stressing that Ohanaeze and all well-meaning Nigerians are advocating for restructuring and true federalism for the betterment of all and sundry.
He therefore explained that restructuring of the country would foster equal rights and privileges for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or ethnic group noting that anything outside restructuring would unleash youth restiveness, tribal cum religious wars and a host of other negative outcomes inimical to socio-economic development and growth of the nation.
The Anambra Ohanaeze president observed that the security situation, youth restiveness and other violent clashes were getting out of hand in the country and that President Buhari should consider restructuring the country in his second term to enable states to go into competitions and create more jobs for the people as well as entrench state police to secure and protect themselves better than what is obtained at the moment.
On the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) sit-at-home order, Ogene explained that it was done in memory of the fallen heroes of Igbo land massacred while pursuing the sovereign state of Biafra. He added that it was a day set aside by the Igbo nation to observe memorial service for their lost brothers and there was absolutely no violence inherent in it.
When confronted with the question of IPOB being proscribed and declared terrorist group by the Buhari administration, Ogene countered saying that Ohanaeze was not aware that IPOB was declared terrorist group and that Ndigbo were fully behind their brothers in the pursuit of equal opportunities for all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic affiliations and religious background.
