1st September, 2016
The Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC), a socio-political group, has declared that it is not in any way involved in the pro-Biafra agitation and was not mobilising Igbos for anybody.
The group denied responsibility for the crises currently rocking the pro-Biafra group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which had led to the emergence of two splinter groups; the Reformed Indigenous People of Biafra (RE-IPOB) and the Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB).
Insinuations in certain quarters fingered some top officials of OYC as being responsible for the crises.
According to the group in a statement, it stressed that neither the entire body nor its President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro are responsible for the crises.
The statement which was signed by the chairman of all the chairmen of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth wing, Mazi Okemiri Alex, described the report linking OYC to IPOB crises as a “naked lie.”
The statement reads: “The attention of the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide is drawn to a publication in some media which claimed that the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro is behind the breakaway faction of IPOB called TRIPOB.
“This is a naked lie. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide has nothing to do with TRIPOB neither is it involved in the crisis rocking IPOB. We warned one Elliot Uko and the spokesperson of IPOB Clifford Iroanya to stop blackmailing the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide or we will declare them enemies of Igbo.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide is the apex Igbo Youth body and does not involve itself in any pro-Biafra agitation and is not mobilizing for anybody including President Buhari on October 1, 2016, but will be at the forefront of calling for the release of all Biafran detainees.
“We believe in restructuring of the country according to 2014 Constitutional conference and call on President Buhari to look into it. We advise IPOB to please, not involve Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide in their propaganda.”