Anthony Iwuoma
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said Simon Ekpa, the self-confessed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was rattled by the $50,000 booty placed on his head and now begging to be reconsidered.
The Igbo group also warned Ekpa to return all the funds he allegedly collected to ensure that Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) does not win the 2023 elections.
In a statement by its Secretary General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, yesterday, which was made available to journalists in Kaduna, Ohanaeze said: “Intelligence reports revealed that Ekpa became frightened that his secrets have been uncovered, and quickly withdrew his response to $50,000 bounty placed on him, and has been begging Ohanaeze in the last 24 hours, through third-parties, to reconsider and review sanctions, as well as drop the bounty placed on him.
“Ndigbo’s response to Ekpa’s plea is that he must return all he had collected from his paymasters to destroy Obi’s support-base through his old-fashioned mantra of ‘No Election In Biafra Land,’ and rescind his intentions to declare four days sit-at-home, which he intends to declare from February 22 to 26, 2023, to disrupt the 2023 presidential elections in the region.
“Ndigbo will resist Ekpa’s attempts to scare voters in the South East and South South through his planned four days sit-at-home. Our suspicion was reinforced after Ekpa began to ask for forgiveness. We knew his plans to boycott the elections in the region and stop Obidients from voting for Obi and weaken the strength of the South East.
“The 2023 presidential election must hold in the region, and Ndigbo must vote for whoever is their choice at the polls.”
However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo vowed to ensure that the 2023 elections must hold in the entire South-east region, warning anti-democratic forces intent on scuttling the exercise in the zone to have a change of hearts or be dealt with.
In another development, Ohanaeze lamented over yet to be collected yesterday, also raised the alarm over thousands of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the South-east.
It urged eligible Igbo yet to collect their PVCs to do so forthwith do ad to participate in the forth-coming elections.
Ohanaeze also charged other South-east governors to declare public holidays to compel residents to obtain their PVCs like emulate Governors Okezie Ikpeazu and Dave Umahi of Abia and Ebonyi, respectively.