Former Presidential Liason Officer under former President Shehu Shagari administration, Chief Dr. Dozie Ikedife, yesterday berated the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, for allegedly threatening Igbo in Lagos State, if they failed to vote for his preferred candidate in the governorship and State House Assembly elections coming up on Saturday.
The monarch actually said he would drive the Igbo into the lagoon should they fail to heed his warning.
Chief Ikedife, who is also the former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, told newsmen he was not sure that the statement came from the Oba of Lagos he knew, adding that he might have been quoted out of context.
“In any case, in as much as I do not believe that the Oba, with all his exposure and position made that statement, it should be sounded as a warning that the Igbo had been threatened enough in Nigeria.
‘’We will not tolerate that anymore, those making such threats should stop immediately because the Igbo cannot be intimidated in Nigeria, never, we cannot be cowed to vote to please a local king maker.
“Nobody should for any reason, issue further threats to Igbo wherever they might be in Nigeria. Igbo have been pushed so hard in Nigeria that any negative reaction from them would be justified. ‘’Of course, you know Igbos have large hearts and they are patient people but their patience cannot be taken for granted, so those making those comments should shut their mouth,” he said.
Chief Ikedife, who is the current Chairman of Anambra State Elders Council, reminded Igbo haters that the Igbo nation had wanted to establish its own Republic when it attempted to have Republic of Biafra, but Nigeria under General Yakubu Gowon resisted it on the advice of foreign powers.
According to him, the Igbo nation insisted on one Nigeria after the killing of millions of Igbo.
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