The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has lashed at the leaders of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over their warning against President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned visitation to the state.
Umahi described the group as inconsequential and assured that the president would visit when stakeholders in the zone deem necessary irrespective of IPOB’s opposition.
The governor expressed dissatisfaction with the group while addressing people at the End of the Year Thanksgiving service of the state held at the new government house Centenary City, Abakaliki.
Recall that there were speculations that President Buhari would visit Ebonyi State last month to commission some projects but that visit did not hold.
Umahi, however, revealed that he would meet with the president alongside prominent leaders of the South-East to discuss the issue of peace in the zone.
According to him: “I saw where one misguided element that calls himself IPOB, said Mr President is not welcomed in Ebonyi. He is inconsequential and I want you to put it on social media. He is so inconsequential. I was in Paris and I told Mr President that the leaders of the South-East would want to visit him over the issue of peace in the region and appealed to him to postpone the visit till early next year.
“But I didn’t want to tell our people because I was urging them to keep pushing our projects as if the president was going to come this year. And I’m not sure up to three or four people knew this; so, I kept it to myself.
“So, Mr. President will come when we want him to come. That IPOB guy is an inconsequential human being. If he is serious, let him hit the wall and come to Ebonyi State and let him see if he would find feet to go back. Somebody will sit somewhere and be talking rubbish and they will be misleading our children to go and be killed, but himself will not be at the war front.
“Any of them that will talk rubbish about security in the South-East should come and lead the war. And I will also lead the war for Ebonyi State. And like David, we will always kill Goliath. When they talk rubbish, just ignore them. This land belongs to God”.