The Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum who is also the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has said there was no going back on the proscription of the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB
Umahi spoke in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Saturday while briefing journalists on the resolution of his colleagues on the activities of IPOB and the “Operation Python Dance” launched by the military in the South –East.
The governor insisted that the decision would be enforced in the five states.
He said, “The Igbo are not looking for secession at this time, it is not the solution to our problem. If we want Biafra, it is the leaders of the South-East that would be in the fore-front of it, not any other person.
“The ideals and beliefs of IPOB have gone beyond the initial thought of IPOB leaders. Anybody can agitate but it must be devoid of insults from any sources.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has shown maturity in the handling of insults, there must be disagreement, but such disagreement must not degenerate to insulting the President of the country.”
Umahi said there was no way the South-East governors would have supported the activities of IPOB.
He said, “We have the people’s mandate, our task is to avoid shedding of blood and ensure a peaceful existence of our people.
“We had invited Nnamdi Kanu on two occasions, and he honoured our invitation. We told him that he cannot be insulting President Buhari, it is not the solution to the problem of the South-East geo-political zone of the country.”
On the allegations of torture allegedly committed by soldiers involved in the “Operation Python Dance” in Umuahia and Aba, Umahi said the South-East Governors have set up a committee to investigate all the allegations.
He said, “We must reiterate that any body found culpable will face the full wrath of the law and be prosecuted.”
