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Ohanaeze Ndigbo has condemned the presence of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, at the annual Odenigbo lectures held at Assumpta Cathedral in Owerri, Imo state.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation said El-Rufai faced outright rejection from the audience, describing him as a “political pariah” unfit to address the gathering.
In a statement on Sunday signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze, and Thompson Ohia, National Spokesman, the group said the outrage was fuelled by the memory of atrocities allegedly committed against Southern Kaduna Christians during el-Rufai’s tenure as governor.
“El-Rufai’s ill-advised decision to participate in the Odenigbo lectures was likely motivated by two ambitions: to rewrite the troubled history of his administration and to gauge the political waters of the Igbo people in hopes of reconstructing the political bridges he so recklessly damaged,” Isiguzoro said.
He claimed that over 2,570 Igbo Christians were killed and investments worth about ₦2.3 trillion were lost under El-Rufai’s administration.
The organisation said families of victims of church burnings and killings in Southern Kaduna were present at the event, which explained the fierce protests that forced el-Rufai to leave.
“The vociferous protests were not mere demonstrations of discontent; they were powerful expressions of collective grief and outrage,” the group said.
The group warned political parties against fielding El-Rufai as a running mate in future elections, insisting that his record makes him unacceptable to the Igbo.
Ohanaeze also demanded that el-Rufai publicly confess to his alleged roles in the killings and offer an unreserved apology to the Igbo people.
“Only through such an act of contrition may he hope to seek redemption for his transgressions,” the group said.
The organisation said the Igbo will remain vigilant and resolute in ensuring justice and amplifying the voices of the oppressed.
Source: PoliticsNigeria | Read the Full Story…
