The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council has debunked reports of plots to assassinate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The national president of the group, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, in a statement, urged Alhaji Abubakar to disregard such reports.
He assured all presidential candidates ahead of the forthcoming general elections of their safety in the Southeast. He further encouraged them to market their manifestoes to the people of the region.
According to the statement, “We received with concern the statement credited to IPOB, wherein they alleged that there was a plot to assassinate the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the South-East.
“We want to make it clear that no such plot exists anywhere in Igboland. Ndigbo are known for their hospitality and this has not changed.
“The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has an Igbo man, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the election. He’s also an in-law to Ndigbo and should therefore feel free to come to the Southeast for his campaign any day any time.”
Recall that the head of media of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr Emma Powerful, recently alleged that some people were planning to assassinate Atiku in the Southeast.
Powerful fingered ‘unscrupulous politicians’ as alleged masterminds of the reports, adding that they want to use the attack to blackmail IPOB and supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
He stated that, “This group is planning to assassinate Atiku Abubakar in the southeastern part of Nigeria and claim it is done by unknown gunmen, ESN/IPOB, or the Obidient group.
“We are drawing the attention of Biafrans around Nigeria to be very careful and cautious of this evil plot primarily targeted at Peter Obi and IPOB.
“Their plans are to turn other ethnic groups in Nigeria against Ndigbo and possibly thwart the proposed selection process called 2023 election.”
