World Igbo Congress decries use of intimidation against political opponents

The community of Nd’Igbo in Diaspora under the aegis of World Igbo Congress (WIC) says they are watching developments in Nigeria with grave concern, pointing out that issues pertaining to prevailing socio-political country would occupy them at the WIC convention scheduled for Nashville Tennessee, United States of American (USA) from August 30 through September 3, 2018.

Rising from its executive meeting on Friday, the group frowned at the continuous use of police to harass political opponents of the government, saying it is “unacceptable. Ndigbo have had enough, living in a political tripod structure of Nigeria, where Ndigbo’s stand is denied and their elected representative in the likes of the deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and other Senators from the eastern Nigeria are the most pressured by the government.”

In a communique after the meeting, the Chairman, Board of Directors of WIC, Prof. Anthony Ejiofor, indicated the organisation’s decision to adjust the convention platform to reflect and accommodate the new reality, stressing that Ndigbo “will not tolerate further political coercion or intimidation from any political party against Ndigbo.”

While remarking that the plight of the rural Igbo populace is lamentable, just as Igbo in the urban areas are haunted despite being the economic engine of their host communities, WIC said no government would succeed with a deliberate plan to undermine the socio-economic empowerment of a section of community.

“A system that is rigged against the people cannot stand the test of time, the use of hunger, poverty, disease, and unemployment, as a political weapon is wrong and inhuman. We are determined to use the convention platform this time to emphasize the consequences of bad governance and evaluate political intentions of the emerging political leaders.

“This convention is the most unified meeting of Nd’Igbo in a decade and would serve as a vehicle for Igbo reorientation and regeneration, to mapping out relevant strategies and workable blue prints to herald a new dawn.”

Public Relations Officer of WIC, Basil Onwukwe, said he is concerned about the trend of events in Nigeria, especially Executive and the legislatures are threatening each other for political expediency, stressing, “We cannot be cajoled with a cosmetic change of political membership, when it is not devoid of romantic pretensions and idealistic delusions. Nigeria will not be sustained with political deflection, when it desires a structural deflection.”