THE first son of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chief Emeka Ojukwu jnr Wednesday in Nnewi warned the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike not to bite the finger that fed him, saying that if the report credited to him (Uwazurike) was true, then the MASSOB leader has chosen to be an ingrate.
Uwazurike was quoted on Monday as saying through his director of information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, that MASSOB has disowned the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, a political party that recognizes Ojukwu as its leader both in life and
death.
Addressing reporters in his country home, Ojukwu jnr said if Uwazurike had any disagreement with Governor Peter Obi of the national chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, he should not transfer his personal differences with them to the Igbo people.
He said: “When I read the report credited to Uwazurike, I was shocked and disturbed. It was not the kind of statement I want to hear. From the beginning, MASSOB pursued the Igbo cause and my late father, Ezeigbo gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was the focal point of MASSOB activities in terms of the ideals of MASSOB.
“My father is synonymous with APGA and I expect MASSOB to be synonymous with APGA. He was never a member of MASSOB, but anytime there was the need, he would guide Uwazurike. This is a political season and it is unfortunate that some people are using this period to destroy the Igbo cohesion.
“If he has a disagreement with Governor Obi or Umeh, he should not drag Igbos into the issue. We should be careful about the kind of inciting statements we make about the Igbo nation. APGA, Ojukwu and Ndigbo are the same. It is the party that represents Igbo interests and it is the platform we use to negotiate in a larger Nigeria.”
According to Ojukwu jnr, with what APGA stood for, it was therefore obvious where his interest would be, adding that though he initially supported the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, he did so because he was in APGA and he had to withdraw the support when he left the party.
