The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohaneze Ndigbo has lashed out at the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu over his utterances concerning the forth-coming elections in Anambra state.

President-General of the organisation, Chief John Nnia Nwodo who led other national leaders of the group to the Anambra State House of Assembly, said Kanu’s unguarded utterances that the state’s elections scheduled for November would not be conducted in the state was a breach of the undertaking he took before him before his release from detention and that it has attracted the attention of the Inspector-General of Police.

“I am just being paternal. The way I commended them as my children, I also  have the right to chastise them when they go wrong. We don’t need this heat up,” Nwodo said.

In his address, Nwodo stated that he found Kanu’s declaration shocking and disturbing and as such has the right to countermand the declaration with the powers vested in him as President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo.

“Whereas Ohaneze understands the marginalisation and unfair treatment of the Igbos which have given rise to self-determination movements in Igboland, leaders of these movements must not arrogate to themselves the supreme leadership of Igboland,” Nwodo stated.

“Statements of the kind credited to Nnamdi Kanu are provocative, misleading and unproductive. Why should Anambra people be denied the opportunity to choose their own leader? Why should any of us who is not from Anambra, no matter how highly placed, descend to the arena and dictate to Anambra people when to vote, whether to vote or who to vote for?,” he queried.

While stating his unhappiness over the treatment of Igbos in the country, Nwodo further stated that the Igbos were part and parcel of Nigeria and that any attempts at self-determination or restructuring must be convincing and backed by the law.

He also revealed that most Igbos currently living in the north are uncertain, in complete awe and consternation as regards their safety at the expiration of the October 1 deadline given to them to leave the region by a coalition of northern youth groups.

Nwodo further revealed that the leadership of the Ohaneze would embark on a tour of the Houses of Assembly of other Igbo-speaking states to intimate them on the stand of the organisation on issues concerning Ndigbo.