Quit notice to Igbos: Real reason I supported Arewa youths – Ango Abdullahi

By Aunde Emmanuel (eaundeblog)

A chieftain of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Prof. Ango Abdullahi says he supported the ultimatum issued to Igbos by Arewa youths because South-East leaders failed to caution Nnamdi Kanu and other Biafra agitators against their consistent divisive comments.

He spoke on Tuesday during a meeting with Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Communities Landlord Association of Nigeria, OMPALAN, led by Bishop Udo Azogu and other executive members of the group in Zaria.

The meeting was aimed at dousing rising tension in the country and to foster a cordial relationship among all ethnic nationalities.

Abdullahi, a former Vice Chancellor of Amadu Bello University, Zaria, stated that he was particularly worried that notable political leaders in the South East like Dr. Elex Ekwueme, Emeka Anyaoku, Jim Nwobodo, Mbazulike Amechi, among others, failed to call Kanu to order on time.

He said he was surprised when people started condemning him for declaring support for Arewa youths’ declaration, saying he was open about his position unlike other Northern leaders who pretended about it.

“The North and Eastern Nigeria have come a long way in terms of building political bridges; starting from the first republic when Dr. Nnamdi Zik conceded the position of Prime Minister to Tafawa Balewa”, Vanguard quoted him as saying.

“And in second republic, Dr. Alex Ekwueme was supported by the North to become Vice President to Shehu Shagari”.

The NEF chieftain further revealed that part of North’s grouse against the Igbo was their failure to appreciate the love shown to them by after the civil war.

He recalled that the North returned all abandoned Igbo properties back to them, in addition to rents collected on their behalf by various caretakers assigned to supervise the affected properties.

“This was a favour they (Igbo) could not get from their South-South neighbours who confiscated their properties in Port Harcourt and other South-South cities”.

Abullahi added that “Igbo should reciprocate the gesture of the North by supporting them politically rather than turning their back against them”.

He cited two instances where Igbo showed total rejection of the North when President Muhammadu Buhari chose late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo and Edwin Umezeoke in 2007 and 2011 respectively, as running mates.