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Umahi To Peter Obi: You Don’t Speak For Igbo, As South-East Residents Shun Protest, Open Markets

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All markets, stores and artisans’ shops in Nnewi, the  industrial town of Anambra and Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State, opened for business as traders and youths shunned the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest that started yesterday across the country.

As usual, as early as 6:30 am, commercial buses and tricycle movements were noticeable on the roads and streets in Nnewi and Onitsha, conveying traders and artisans to their respective markets, stores and shops in the towns.

Ndigbo had severally made their opposition known on the planned protests  or 10 days  of rage that started yesterday.

Anambra State markets’ leaderships have assured that none of the markets would be shut down during the #EndBadGovernance protest ongoing across the country.

There was normalcy in Onitsha and Nnewi, both commercial hubs of the state and other environs with filling stations and banks  opened and transporters hustling for their daily bread.

To douse the tension already generated by the protest, particularly among the traders and customers,  Innocent Ezeoha, Chairman of Onitsha Main Market said the Igbo are not part of  it.

“You can see that the shops are open for business and traders and customers going about peacefully.

“There is normalcy here. We are not part of the protest. We are already suffering hardship and staying at home doing nothing and pouring out on the streets to protest will not be the best option.

“We want government at all  levels to do the needful. They should also help traders by ensuring a conducive environment for business to thrive in the country.”

James Oraka, a trader at Nkwo Nnewi Market said protests have never solved social problems in the country, adding: “We, the Igbo don’t want to be part of the protest because other  tribes will  say we engineered it at the end. We are learning from history.”

At the filling stations visited, the fuel pump attendants were busy dispensing the product to prospective customers.

Other business activities are moving with security operatives doing their normal duties and no harassment of people.

One Igbo vocal group that made their opposition categorically clear  on the protest is the United Igbo Elders Council, UNIEC, Worldwide, and their  stand, according to a statement they issued, yesterday is “based essentially on the differential  attitude to human rights that the organisers have shown towards the Igbo/East in particular, and other Nigerians as well.”

UNIEC, in the statement signed by its Director, Media and Publicity, Prof. Obasi lgwe, and its Coordinator General, His Lordship Alpha Justice, said: “The loud silence, signalling acquiescence of some of  its organisers to the extremely targeted injustices against the Igbo/East and for the last nine years, orchestrated killings with countless evidences of official involvement or connivance with no sympathy from anywhere, baffles the imagination.”

UNIEC’s statement entitled, Rage or Protest in Nigeria: Position of the United Igbo Elders Council, UNIEC, Worldwide, rather made a 10-point demand  on Mr President to stabilise Nigeria instead of supporting the protest.

Some of the demands included the immediate lifting of  the economic and ports blockade against the Igbo/East, imposed since 1967 and subsisting till today, by which Port Harcourt, Bonny, Opobo, and other Eastern ports were rendered inutile, except for oil purposes, compelling the Igbo to divert en masse to Lagos to conduct their maritime businesses.

You don’t speak for Igbo, Umahi tells Peter Obi

Meantime, Minister of Works, David Umahi, has lambasted Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 election, saying he is not the mouthpiece for  the Igbo.

Umahi added that Obi should refrain from allegedly inciting the youths of the South-East against the administration of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the planned August 1 protest.

Umahi spoke, Wednesday, during the Ebonyi State Youth and Stakeholders Summit at the Christian Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki.

“Let me make this clear: Mr. Peter Obi does not speak for Ndigbo. Our governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and our traditional rulers are our leaders; they speak for us.

Let the enemies of Ndigbo hear this loud and clear: our governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo are the mouthpieces of Ndigbo.

“Let no one take the comments of one individual and use them to malign us. We are a very peaceful people. We will continue to support Mr. President. My advice to our brother is to reconsider his stance to avoid inciting some uninformed youths against the rule of law and endangering the peace of the nation.

Addressing the youths and stakeholders present,  Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State urged the youths of the state not to participate in the nationwide protests against hardship, assuring them that his administration is working diligently to address issues that will improve the lives of every Ebonyi citizen.

Enugu residents stay indoors

Fear-stricken residents of Enugu, the Enugu State capital, remained indoors yesterday over the nationwide protest.

Shops, banks, markets , public  and private offices were closed, bringing economic activities to a halt.

The usual bustling Ogbete Holy Ghost axis, streets and major roads were empty with few people seen at bus stops.

The city was deserted with many residents opting to stay at home rather than risk venturing out.

The group that protested on the streets, Office of the Citizens, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Enugu branch, marched from the Naira Triangle through some streets and ended at Michael Okpara Square.

As they marched, they displayed placards with various inscriptions such as: “End corruption in Nigeria; Say no to corruption, End hardship, let our vote count, free INEC, reduce fuel  price, listen to youths cry, among others.

Addressing journalists, the leader of the aggrieved youths,  Onyebuchi Igboke regretted that President Bola Tinibu is insensitive to the hardship across the country.

“We are protesting because the President is highly insensitive to the hardship across the country. We all can agree that in this country, everyone is suffering. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, or even unbelievers, we are all suffering.”

Abia ignores protest

In Abia State, residents of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, yesterday, ignored the nationwide protest against hardship as they went about their normal lives.

There was a free flow of both human and vehicular movements as residents carried on with their daily activities uninterrupted.

However, the banks did not open for business apparently for fear of the unknown.

Some business owners also did not open for business probably as a precautionary measure. The streets were  as busy as ever, especially during afternoon hours.

No protester was sighted anywhere in the capital city, and there was no  report of any  procession in the state.

Businesses shut in Ebonyi

Banks and some major businesses in Ebonyi State were under locks in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, yesterday.

Most banks were under locks. The Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of the banks were, however, in operation.

Popular fast food joints like Chicken Republic along water walks, major shopping mall, Roban Stores at Mile 50 area, major phone company, Fine Brothers, and others were also under locks.

Some filling stations opened but started closing up. It was not immediately clear why they took the action.

Security agencies were on constant patrol  around the city while many others were stationed at strategic points across the city.

Two armoured personnel career and patrol vans were stationed in front of the old government house with a strong detachment of policemen.

However, there was no  sign of any protesters anywhere in the city as of the time of this report.

Resign if you can’t fix Nigeria’s economy, Archbishop tells Tinubu

National Chairman of Abia State Elders Consultative Forum, Archbishop Princewilll Ariwodor, has asked President Tinubu, to honourablly quit if he has no solution to the crumbling Nigerian economy.

The cleric, who was recently elected as the World President of the International College and Council of Bishops and Apostles, ICCOBA, in Dublin, spoke with Vanguard in the wake of the nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance.

He argued that the president should not have made himself available to lead the country if he knew he had no solution to the challenges plaguing the nation, particularly the hardship created by his anti-people policies.

Ariwodor cautioned the government against any attempt to scare citizens from holding peaceful protests, describing such as an ambush against democracy.

He decried the precarious economic situation in the country and called for urgent action to  revamp it.

Ariwodor warned against the use of force to suppress the nationwide protest, insisting  that Nigerians  have the right to peaceful protest.

“Nigerians are hungry and have the constitutional right to express their grievances through peaceful protest.

“ The people are not violent, so, why will you apply force against peaceful protesters?

“ Why will you flog people and ask them not to cry? You are flogging the nation and shouldn’t ask the people not to cry.

“ Government should listen to public opinions. Pressure groups, provided they are not violent, make Governments sit up. “


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