By John Ejike
I just read a bizaare statement by Emma Powerful, IPOB PRO. For once Emma lost me.
The story is that Ipob announced names of people using the name of IPOB and ESN to defraud and terrorize their communities. And the published the names, which is good. But the problem is that Emma went on to hook in the name of the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma without detailing his involvement with the hoodlums.
So, after reading through the question to be asked are these: where did Uzodimma come into the story? Did he also sponsor the ones in Anambra? Is Emma Powerful implying that the Governor of Imo state is sponsoring criminals to kidnap, rob people and rape women. How stupid can this get?
Now, if for the case of arguement he sponsored criminals to fake Ipob in Imo, what motive would he have sponsoring them also in Anambra?
Quite clearly Ipob has not told us what is their problem with Governor Uzodimma. This is getting too much. It is beginning to look like a murderous hatred that nothing can mitigate. I recall hearing the Governor time and time again say that many of the acts of terrorism in the state were not commited by IPOB but are done by criminals funded and directed by political actors. Again, in his recent stakeholders briefing, he excused IPOB. It is interesting that while he consistently has taken this position, IPOB on the other hand continues to excoriate the Governor in the most appauling language including accusing him of all sorts of unbeleivable crimes. Even when incidents have nothing to do with the man, IPOB finds a way to drag his name in.
It appears that this case has become a wound that cannot be healed. The fear is that IPOB may be getting political. These attacks on Governor Uzodimma are sounding like the PDP propaganda war against the APC governor who wrestled power from the party. Emma Powerful sounds like IPOB has been dragged into the warfare. That will be unwise and the greatest undoing of the people’s freedom fighters. It will be unfortunate too because people who had previously believed unquestionably in IPOB will begin to have doubts about it’s good intentions. IPOB should pull back a bit before it is consumed by its own fury and hatred of a fellow Igbo. There is a better way.
* Ejike wrote from Owerri