Biafra Agitation: S’East Leaders Seek Dialogue between MASSOB, IPOB, FG

Prominent leaders from the South-east geo-political zone rose from a closed-door meeting in Enugu on Sunday with a resolve to set up a committee to dialogue with members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the federal government in a bid to resolve all the lingering issues surrounding the ongoing mass protest by pro-Biafra agitators.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting held at Government House, Enugu, which was attended by governors, National Assembly members, ministers from the zone, trade unions and other stakeholders, it was also agreed that a delegation of the elders of the South-east be mandated to meet with the president.

However, the leadership of the apex-Igbo socio-cultural organisation,  Ohanaeze Ndigbo, failed to show up at the meeting but rather held a different meeting elsewhere where they resolved to immediately convene the Ime-Obi meeting of the organisation to look into the crisis.
The resolution of the governors and the elders followed ongoing agitation by IPOB, MASSOB and other groups for the release of the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kalu and the realisation of Biafra Republic.

The leaders also resolved to set up a committee to immediately address the impasse on Ohanaeze leadership.
  Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who read the communique, disclosed that the elders also examined other issues including poor state of infrastructural facilities in the South-east, marginalisation in the federal appointments and other socio-economic issues that impact on the economic development of the South-east and resolved to support the decision of the South-east governors to set up an economic committee.

According to him, the economic committee would  interface with the federal government on remedial measures.
The Imo State Governor further noted that the meeting of the governors and elders of South-east also mandated a delegation of the elders of the zone to meet with the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“After a compassionate review of the recent MASSOB/IPOB agitations in the country, it was resolved that a committee be set up to dialogue with MASSOB\IPOB as well as the federal government with a view to finding a lasting solution to the issue,” the communique stated.

Governors of Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Imo, Rochas Okorocha, Ebonyi, Dave Umahia, and deputy governors of Abia and Anambra States attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a separate statement issued at the end of its own meeting said it was going to summon an emergency meeting of Imeobi to discuss the current situation in Igboland.
It advised MASSOB and IPOB to maintain the peace as the have done so far.
Ohanaeze statement was read by Emeka Ugwoju flanked by the Ohanaeze president and secretary, Enwo Igariwey and Joe Nwaorgu respectively.

They maintained: “Ohanaeze noted the immediate demand of MASSOB and IPOB which is the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
“The meeting condemned the rascality of Anambra state chairman of Ohanaeze in publishing a position only to himself and purporting to be the position of Ohanaeze Since his position does not qualify him to speak on behalf Ohanaeze as a national organisation.
“MASSOB and IPOB also demand the sanctioning of saboteurs of Igbo cause. The two agreed that this should be the only the medium for dialogue.”