The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reacted to a statement by an Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark that the South-South region cannot be part of Biafra.
IPOB stated that Clark is irrelevant in the operations of Nigeria and lacks the influence to speak for the people of Niger-Delta region.
The Movement further described the Ijaw leader as a saboteur and traitor, adding that he betrayed former President Goodluck Jonathan, just as he betrayed Igbo people during Biafra/Civil War in the country from 1967 to 1970.
This was contained in a statement by the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful and obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday.
Clark, on Monday, while granting an interview to BBC Pidgin said, “To me, IPOB is not pursuing the right thing. So, they have a good complaint, but going about it wrongly. How can Delta be part of Biafra? In what way? Is Biafra older or bigger than Delta? How can Rivers State or Akwa Ibom become part of Biafra? They are dreaming for still thinking about the Eastern Region of those days.”
In its reaction, IPOB said, “The attention of the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has come across a statement credited to Edwin Clerk during his BBC Pidgin English interview, where he said that Niger Delta is not part of Biafra. We are disappointed by such a statement coming from a supposed elder statesman like Edwin Clark.
“Though he betrayed Biafra during the war of 1967-1970 against his brothers and sisters in and today, where is Edwin Clark in the scheme of things in Nigeria, only the monthly salary Fulani slavemasters placed him for betraying his people then.
“Biafra will come Edwin Clark will fail in his betrayal salary getting from the enemy (sic) and on the blood of his people but he must know that he cannot stop Biafra with his inconsequential utterances cannot stop because he was paid to do so.
“We know his job and DNA is betrayal and sabotage even he sabotaged his brother former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as president of Nigeria. He always takes sabotage and betrayal as norms. It is unbelievable and unfortunate he continues doing this until younger generations knew that it is his hubby.
“The likes of Edwin Clark are the reason Biafra is being treated as slaves in their own domain today. A man at the age of Edwin Clark is supposed not to be economical with the truth or deceive the young generation because of parochial interest.”
In the statement entitled, ‘Edwin Clark Is A Spent Force That Lacks The Mandate To Speak For The People Of Niger Delta’, the separatist group reminded Clark that an Izon man from South-South suggested the name Biafra to the late General Emeka Ojukwu.
The group reiterated that Biafra will break way from Nigeria, and Clark and those who wish to stay with Nigeria have the right to do so but stated that the nonagenarian cannot speak for the people of the South-South.
“It’s too appalling that Edwin Clark doesn’t know that those who own Biafra are those he referred to as South-South or Niger-Delta as the case may be. How suddenly Edwin Clark has forgotten that it was an Izon man who brought the name ‘Biafra’ to the table for approval which Ojukwu and his Eastern Consultative Assembly approved without hesitation or debate!
“Edwin Clark should know that IPOB, led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, did not force any clan to join Biafra but if his community, clan and tribe refuse to join Biafra through a referendum at the right time, should not blame anybody for their fate in Nigeria.
“By the time Biafra will exit Nigeria through a referendum, any clan in the so-called Niger Delta that refuses to be liberated from the Nigerian bondage should get ready to serve the Fulani as slaves forever.
“We, however, know that Edwin Clark is not speaking for millions of Niger Delta youths, men and women earnestly yearning for their liberation from the Nigerian bondage. He is only speaking for his Fulani slavemasters but very soon he will discover that he is a General without foot soldiers.
“Biafra will come during the lifetime of Edwin Clark, and he will spend the balance of his life in regrets. His family will disappoint him during a referendum for Biafra freedom,” the statement added.
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