A chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Valentine Iheukwumere Oparaocha, has suggested that the best thing for the Igbos to do right now, is to rally round the 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi to actualize his 2027 agenda, instead of clamouring around Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (MNK) and his separatists agenda which will not see the light of the day.

Though not in anyway against the clamour for Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom, Valentine Oparaocha argued that no sane Igbo man or woman who suffered the consequences of the Nigeria-Biafra war would wish to experience another war to have a country because such agitations go hand-in-hand with bloodletting.

Besides that, Oparaocha told some journalists in an interview in Minna that Ndigbo are better off in Nigeria hence should be thinking of how to rally other marginalized groups in Nigeria to ensure that justice and equity of having Peter Obi as President of Nigeria in 2027 come to fruition.

“Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu told us before his death, that the war is over! Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe also told us it was over! Why must some people still be dragging us back into what they will not be possible”, he queried.

Oparaocha, a retired security expert who contested the Presidency of Ohaneze-Ndigbo Worldwide against late business mogul, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and late Ambassador, George Obiozo, reminded those behind the clamour for Biafra of dire consequences, saying that, “Anyone calling for war now is on his own”.

He further argued that “The Aburi accord of 1966 has expired. The Ahiara declaration of 1969 is dead. All forms of separatist agitations should stop, because it can lead to nowhere except chaos and another round of siege against the Igbo man.”

“Peter Obi’s ambition to be President should be the main focus of the Igbos in particular and Nigerian youths in general. He is tried and tested and that’s why I strongly believe that the Igbos should rally round him at this time to negotiate the interests of Ndigbo world over in Nigeria”.

Instead of silencing people with contrary views about MNK, denials and deprivations against the Igbo man despite being one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, the former Secretary of Ohaneze-Ndigbo, Niger state chapter said he has every reason to stand by Peter Obi because, “His method is safe. His plans are good. We can trust him”.

The Igbos, according to him should not fall for the bait of going all out to champion the release of MNK which the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration is already exploiting to his advantage ahead of the 2027 political dispensation, but work for the emergence of Peter Obi as next President.

“But We cannot be chasing too many things at the same time. President Tinubu will release Nnamdi Kanu for political reasons before the 2027 elections, because Nnamdi Kanu fits into his political equation for his second term plans,” Oparaocha further emphasized.

According to him, Nnamdi Kanu will be a bet for his winning his second term, and therefore wants the Igbos to stop begging anything in this country but retreat and come out in one voice and support Obi.

“We belong here. Let us try and be more strategic in planning and stop harassing people whose opinions about the place of the Igbo man in Nigeria’s political space are not in alignment with our own”, adding that all that is required is for the Igbos to think and act with wisdom.

“Nnamdi Kanu is in DSS confinement and everyone is calling for his release, but nobody is thinking of his safety when he is out from confinement. I fear more for his life outside the DSS custody than while he is in there. In the DSS custody, MNK is very safe, protected and in good hands. Outside the DSS, an assassin can take him from a distance and with just one bullet, God forbid!

“I do not believe, that a separate nation will benefit Ndi Igbo at the moment. But full integration into Nigeria will be of immense benefit, and the laws or road towards actualizing that are favourable.”

Oparaocha was however reminded agitators that “Ndi Igbo never sat anywhere and agree on this current separatist agitation, and that is why it is having problems. And we can never agree on it.”

We Igbos must move with Peter Obi for now. His ideas have sanity in them. We must also speak with one voice (1 Corinthians 1:10). It is better to speak out than to betray the course. Peace is always better than war. If Barack Obama can do it in the USA, we can do it here. He did not carry gun and he did not break the USA to achieve his purpose. He merely brought together the minorities in the USA to form a new majority that defeated the white majority.

In Nigeria, we have over three hundred ethnic minorities. The Igbo have better advantage over these people because of our number. We can bring them together,” a hand shake across the Niger. Then we can form a new majority.”

Oparaocha also reasoned that, “Nigeria is made up of well over 250 ethnic groups, the Igbos are not the only ethnic group that is suffering marginalization. Some of these ethnic groups are looking up to Ndigbo for their liberation, especially the northern Christians and you are running instead of reaching out and embracing them.

“Let us think like our brother, one of Nigeria’s founding father’s, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, one of the fathers of African nationality who does not only believe in one Nigeria, that united we stand and divided we fall.

“Former Governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, once said that the 2027 election is between southerners. I am seeing the 2027 election as a battle between Peter Obi and President Tinubu, so whichever way the pendulum swings, Igbos should remain united.” (Daily Independent)