Imeobi Igbo Forum, a pan-Igbo grassroots sociocultural organization, has called the current South-East political class the “worst in history.”
The organization requested that the current Igbo representatives in the National Assembly be disqualified from running in the general elections in 2023 because they have failed the Igbo race.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Nnewi, Anambra State, IIF National Chairman Dr. Mike Ikegulu criticized the local elites and politicians for their public behavior and statements intended to “pleasing the chieftains of particular ethnic groups,” calling it “disappointing” and “painful.”
Ikegulu said, “Since the emergence of the present crop of Igbo political and business elites, Ndigbo have continued to be shamed and short-changed. We are not genuinely being represented in any sphere of Nigeria affairs.
“Their public conduct and utterances are disappointing and painful, just to please the chieftains of some ethnic groups. These Igbo elites have raped and abandoned Ndigbo.
“Those at the national assembly are insensitive to our collective interests. Never lending a voice on anything of interest to Ndigbo for pecuniary interest and personal aggrandizement.”
He urged the populace to register for the Permanent Voters Card while it is still being offered and to be prepared to vote out politicians who have not done the area any favors.
He bemoaned the fact that Ndigbo are alien to the current Nigerian system of government and added that the region’s leaders are chosen by their acts and words, not by election or appointment.
He believes that whereas other ethnic groups in a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria have stratified leadership, the Igbos are represented in such a heinous way.
He further claimed that the politicians in the southeast were conspiring to have the Indigenous People of Biafra outlawed, refused the referendum, and set Nnamdi Kanu up by having him abducted and imprisoned in order to silence him.
He said, “These greedy and shameless political elites brought similar disgrace to those other nationalities rooting for a Nigerian president of South-East extraction for equity, justice and fairness.
“For their business and political interests, they ganged up to have IPOB proscribed, rejected referendum, set Nnamdi Kanu up and got him kidnapped and incarcerated to silence him.
“They keep mum over the atrocities committed by occupying forces and the continuing intimidation and slaughter of Igbo youths for agitation.
“Igbo politicians followed the dollars in the party primaries, disregarding the recurring political realities which give us the short end of the stick.
“The present and future generations of Ndigbo will look down on the present group of Igbo political and economic elites who have largely relocated to Abuja, as the worst in history.
“The present Igbo legislators in the national assembly should not be allowed back, for toying with the destiny of Ndigbo, in the complex country of Nigeria.”
“They are there for self, family and friends. One wonders why they are gearing up to return to the same indolent representation at the national assembly in 2023. Even the serving governors are buying their way to the senate as retirement home, this is unacceptable to us.”
