BIAFRA: UPP, Okorie lambast FG over claims of politicians funding IPOB

National chairman of the United Progressives Party (UPP) Chief Chekwas Okorie, has described claims by the Federal Government that politicians are behind the sponsorship of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as reckless.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had on Sunday in Lagos accused disgruntled politicians and looters of sponsoring agitation for Biafra by the IPOB in order to rubbish the achievement of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

But Okorie, an ex-presidential candidate, in his response described the claims as reckless and that it was unfortunate the government would make such unhealthy utterance against political players in Nigeria.

“As a politician, I founded the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to seek power in Nigeria, and I have founded the United Progressives Party (UPP) doing the same thing. Buhari himself had challenged the Igbo to form a political party and use it to seek for what they want within the country called Nigeria.

“I do not, therefore, see how a political party pursuing ideologically rooted agenda, like restructuring, state police, will at the same time be sponsoring such a movement. We are for unity of Nigeria, a Nigeria where there is equity, justice and fair play.

“It is reckless for a government to make such a statement, suggesting that politicians from the South-East were behind it, unless he is talking of Fulani politicians and those from the North-West. Don’t forget, Ralph Uwazurike, leader MASSOB, had said it was politicians from the north that were sponsoring IPOB. May be that is what the government was referring to,” Okorie, said.

Meanwhile, Ekiti State’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in a statement by its publicity secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, singled out Governor Ayodele Fayose, a fierce critic of Buhari and his government as one of those funding IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

“On April 26 and as published by The Nigerian Tribune Newspaper and its online publication on April 27, 2017, Fayose said he was working in conjunction with Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to raise funds for Kanu, stressing that he was taking his support for Kanu beyond showing solidarity in court by raising funds that would be deposited in an account opened in Kanu’s name,” Olatunbosun stated.

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