The former Governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha, has disclosed that he is ready to join the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) if they give him a genuine reason to do so.
Afriupdate reports that the Senator representing Imo North at the National Assembly declared that he is yet to fathom the motive behind the outlawed IPOB.
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He added that aside from knowing most of the members, it is his duty to have a chat with them as a father.
![[FILES] IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu in court](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Nnamdi-Kanu-in-Court.jpg "IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu fails to regain freedom at Supreme Court 1")
Okorocha disclosed that the group should convince him of the reasons he must partake in the liberation of a new sovereign state for Biafra and the benefits of the group on the Igbo in South-East Nigeria.
The former Governor was quoted by The Sun as saying, “in the first place, IPOB is not different from other similar groups from other parts of the country, but it is just the packaging and name that have always been the problem.
According to him, “I don’t know what we plan to achieve by isolating ourselves from the rest of the country. And until IPOB answers the question, the leaders might not know how to handle it.”
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Okorocha said, “When you say IPOB, are they trying to call for another sovereign nation? If they want to use this as a way of correcting certain injustices meted to the Igbo, then they should change the name to start with.
“When Oduduwa, Arewa or Niger Delta youths talk, they don’t call for a sovereign nation. For Igbo to become a country of their own, they have to think about the consequences.
“Personally, I don’t think it is good for the Igbo to become isolated from other nations and tribes in this country.
“Although the young men may have grievances, they should package them properly for the world to understand what they are fighting for.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know what IPOB is looking for to date. I don’t know what the agenda of IPOB are and where they are planning to take Ndigbo to.”
He further said: “The leaders seem to have kept quiet for too long. Like our children, we need to guide them and let them know that they cannot be talking about sovereignty within a nation.
“What programme do they have in the first place? What has IPOB done about the Igbo killed in South Africa? Is it not surprising that they have not done anything?
“I challenge all the Igbo to return from South Africa, India and other parts of the world, converge on Onitsha market and let us see what will happen.
“I don’t think the Igbo need IPOB at this point; it is rather a distraction that is not good for our political future. It might be the reason we are not doing well politically, yet we are adding more danger to it.
“They are our children; we love them and need to bring them closer. So, it is the failure of leadership in Igboland that should be blamed. We are not showing good leadership to these boys.
Talking about their relationship with the South-East political leaders, he described them as ‘children’ noting that the attacked on Ekweremadu is childish but how have the attack or threat to other political leaders solved the problem of Igbo in Nigeria?”
He Said, “How has it corrected the problem of marginalisation of Igbo in Nigeria? They are beating up people in the name of IPOB in Owerri, Aba and other towns, but how has that solved the problem?
“I think IPOB is rather waging war against ourselves which should not be. I am looking forward to meeting with them anytime to address this issue and if they convince me, I will follow them and if I convince them, they should follow me.
“Can we have a meeting where the Igbo will meet with these IPOB, MASSOB and those other associations to find a common ground because whether they are bad, good or evil, they are our brothers, children, sons and daughters?
“I cannot lay claim that I don’t know them because they are Igbo and it is my duty to have a chat with them as a father. They must convince me on why I must join IPOB and where it is taking us to.
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“I have told them to join APC because through APC, Igbo man might become president and if they have a contrary view, they can look for an alternative. IPOB needs to explain where they want to take Ndigbo to.”
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