Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday denied involvement in the disruption of Tuesday’s summit organised by Eastern Consultative Assembly in Enugu as alleged.
The pro-Biafra agitator said that neither its leadership nor members were invited to the event slated to honour some prominent Igbo leaders put together by Evangelist Elliot Uko and Chief Mrs Maria Okwor.
MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Comrade Samuel Edeson, in a statement made available to newsmen explained that the group was surprised and shocked to read on pages of newspapers linking them with the fracas adding that they have not called or discussed with any Igbo leader since eight months now.
The statement reads: “MASSOB separated ourselves from him when we found out that he is an opportunist, backbiter and instigator of strife among brethren. He did not call or invited our leader or any other national executive of MASSOB to his event neither did our leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu called him or pressurised him to allow MASSOB members to attend his event
“Though Elliot has apologized to our leader yesterday when he drew his attention to the damaging falsehood against our leader’s personality and leadership of reformed MASSOB, MASSOB members are not happy that Elliott Uko and Maria Okwor wouldl consciously and deliberately created the damaging and false impressions loaded with antagonisms against Comrade Uchenna Madu led reformed MASSOB.
“The negative impression that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Chief Nnia Nwodo sponsored the disruption of ECA event is completely false capable of sowing a seed of discord among major stakeholders of Igbo affairs. The agitators whom Elliot Uko and Maria Okwor invited to their event that disrupted the event did it as a sign of expressing their minds towards what they believe according to their orientation.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo or Nnia Nwodo did not sponsor any disruption against the ECA event. MASSOB is still marvelled that Elliot Uko has never agreed with any leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo from the administration of Honorable Eze Ozobu leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo.
“MASSOB warned Elliot Uko and Maria Okwor to stop meddling and creating confusing falsehood among pro Biafra groups using one group against another just to achieve a selfish interest, they should stay clear of pro Biafra groups since they are not clamouring for Biafra actualization and restoration.
“Though the people arrested at Elliot Uko and Maria Okwor led Eastern Consultative Assembly event are not our members. We demand for their immediate release. MASSOB urge the Enugu state governor, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to intervene for their immediate release now which will douse unnecessary tension in Igbo land.
“MASSOB also wish to clarified on the last meeting of about sixteen pro Biafra groups that converged at Ojukwu’s hometown, Nnewi that purportedly support the restructuring of Nigeria into regionalism using 1963 constitution as a template is a misplacement of our position and believe. All pro Biafra groups that attended the solemn meeting agreed only on Biafra actualization and restoration or nothing through unity of purposes.
“We did not subscribed to regionalism or restructuring of Nigeria, we want a complete independence from Nigeria enslavement through the British impositions. Though pro Biafra groups are not against those clamouring for restructuring, we believe only in Biafra actualisation and restoration.”