By Okey Maduforo Awka.
Ahead of the conduct of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, Pro Biafran Agitators have challenged the three front line Presidential candidates , President Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress APC, Mr Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Atiku Abubakar over fate of the families who were affected by the Nigerian Civil War .
The agitators based in the United Kingdom under the platform of Biafran Diaspora Movement ( BDM ) expressed it’s displeasure over what it called a calculated attempt by the politicians not to discuss the measures aimed at addressing the Biafran struggle.
According to it’s Luton Zonal Officer Adeze Vivian Nzelu-Ihanacho who addressed reporters in Awka on Thursday, contended that campaigns by the trio must address the political foundation of the country in a bid towards making firm promises of healing the woods of the war .
“The Nigerian Civil War of 1967–1970 left behind unimaginable suffering, broken families and painful memories. For many Igbo families, the consequences of that war are not simply a chapter in a history books”
“Decades later, concerns about marginalisation, political representation, insecurity and belonging continue to shape conversations across the Southeast”
“We cannot keep asking why people feel angry or unheard without being willing to listen to what they are saying”
She stated that IPOB has become a prominent voice in the campaign for Biafran self-determination adding that it’s supporters view the
movement as a way to express concerns about identity, political exclusion and the future of the Southeast.
Iheanacho while admonishing the three Presidential candidates noted that the Biafran question is bigger
than any individual or organisation positing that even when political leaders change or security operations continue, the historical and political questions surrounding Biafra do not automatically disappear.
“A government can disagree with IPOB’s demands, challenge its ideas and act against criminal conduct where evidence supports doing so. But these actions do not remove the need to address the deeper issues that keep political grievances alive. A problem left unresolved today may become more difficult to address tomorrow”.
She contended that while the political class and government
debate, security operations continue and movements make their demands, ordinary people are left to live with the consequences.
“There are mothers who worry about their children, traders who fear losing their livelihoods, young people who wonder what the future holds, and families who simply want to go to work, send their children to school and return home safely”
“Our position is simple: justice must be fair, human life must be protected, peaceful voices must be heard, and genuine grievances must not be ignored”
“Let justice be done. Let innocent lives be protected. Let the people be heard. And let peace be built on truth, not silence”
“Because at the end of the day, beyond the politics and arguments, ordinary people simply want to live, raise their children and grow old in peace. Surely, that is not too much to ask” she said.
