Governor Umahi has said Ebonyi state is a sovereign state and was not part of the state that formed Biafra

– The governor also alleged that he received threat that he and other southeast governors will be kidnapped by the IPOB.

– The governor, however, said some of the agitations of IPOB members were

genuine but the approach is very bad.

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state on Sunday, January 6, said Ebonyi is not one of the states that formed the “Sovereign States of Biafra,” as claimed by the proscribed group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Governor, who said this at the Nkwegu Military Cantonment in Abakaliki, the state capital, during the inauguration of Operation Python Dance (Egwu Eke) phase III, by the Nigerian Army, also said the IPOB group has threatened to kidnap him and other southeast governors.

Umahi, who is the chairman of the southeast governors forum said although some of the agitations of IPOB members were genuine, their approach isn’t good enough.

He said: “The GOC, you are coming at a time we had our brothers and sisters of IPOB sending text messages that, there will be no elections and insulting the leaders, particularly the South-East governors.

“Just few days back, they sent text message to my wife that the five governors of the South-East would be kidnapped and that their security would be overpowered and that after ransoms were paid, they would kill them and kill themselves.

“That is laughable; although as a leader in the zone, I must say that some of their complaints are genuine; but the approach is very bad. That is why the leaders of south-east are not in support of their approach.

“So, we are not against them, but their approach. And as the Chief Security of the state, I do not welcome them; Ebonyi state is not part of Biafra, we are a sovereign state, and we don’t want to be colonised again, as we are a state demanding better treatment in the affairs of our nation.”

BVI Channel 1 earlier reported that Umahi said that the meeting of his colleagues and leaders of the southeast with President Muhammau Buhari was not an attempt to campaign for his re-election bid.

Umahi, who is also the chairman of the southeast governor’s forum said instead, that the meeting was to seek for 50 percent release of contract sum to the firm working on the second Niger Bridge.