Biafra: Your words should be civil – Orji Kalu tells IPOB

Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said the Indegenous People of Biafra, IPOB, holds false opinion about him and advised them not to take a duty of misreading him at every comment.
In his reaction to an IPOB statement on a trending news regarding an interview he granted, Kalu reminded IPOB and the members how he had in the past helped the interest of IPOB and the members.
Notwithstanding their grouse on the issue, Kalu recalled that during Nnamdi Kanu’s long detention, he was the first Igbo leader to pay him visit in Kuje and also facilitated the release of the members in the past and also intervened in their interest with the authorities.
He spoke in response to statements from the Publicity Secretary of the IPOB, Emma Powerful and lawyer to the IPOB leader, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on their reaction to a press interview he granted.
He said this is not the first time he was misunderstood, “I believe everyone has right priorities and knows what really matters. For instance, our Igbo brothers are safe in the North and our minds are settled over their property, and that’s what matters. Dancing to the beats of a popular drum isn’t top of my list. These boys hurling abuses and insults on everyone that stands against division are simply ignorant. I forgive them.” Kalu stated
IPOB’s statement on Nnamdi Kanu’s whereabouts was an offshoot of an interview he granted to a reporter. He referred to it as pathetic that most Nigerians are interested in sensational headlines and care less about details.
He added that Biafra agitation is an issue that concerns a lot of people and keeping silent in the face of its dangerous consequence would amount to wickedness and disregard for safety of lives of the Igbo people .

The former governor acccused the group of running the interest of some politcians and despising good counsel. He described it as laughable when people try to link his actions with corruption charges levelled against him since 2007.

According to Kalu, Nigerians knew him before the charges and the genesis of the allegations and how it was targeted to destroy him politically. He however said the case being in a court of competent jurisdiction has proscribed him from making further statements on it.
“I had wished the IPOB were more civil to monitor their utterances, and not take up a duty of attacking my personality and leaving the issue I raised.”
He said the group’s activities should be carried out with civility and respect adding that the lives of Igbo people are priority.
Kalu advised IPOB not to forget their lines so quick and disclosed that through his intervention in the past, many detained IPOB members were bailed.
“I wonder how IPOB easily forgot their lines. They have had many of their detained members bailed through my intervention.
“Would it be appropriate for even somebody like Emma Powerful to heap unprintable insults and accusations on me? I bailed him out when he was detained.
“When Nnamdi was in prison, I was the first to visit him, opening doors for others to do same. I did that because he is my brother. Although he showed a lot of appreciations during the visit but he still maintained his ground on Biafra. For the sake of posterity, I have made my stand clear. In a restructured Nigeria, Igbo people would be better off. We got it wrong in 1967 and we need to get it right now, else we get it wrong again.” Kalu warned in the statement.