The pan-Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday chided the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, for accusing the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, of instigating the planned nationwide protest by some Nigerians, especially the youth.

Ohanaeze in a statement in Enugu by its Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnaya, condemned the assertion by Onanuga to the effect that the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party.”

The Igbo apex group also expressed disappointment at the statement that Obi “should be held responsible or whatever crisis that emanates from the protest,” and that the Obidients are “plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu under the guise of protests.”

Ohanaeze said several gullible undiscerning persons have joined Onanuga to state specifically that “the Igbo are the propellers of the forthcoming nationwide protest.

“Ohanaeze views the above remarks by Onanuga as true to type. On March 19, 2023 Onanuga was reported by several news media to have issued a serious warning to the Igbo stating;

‘Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027’. “When many well-meaning Nigerians, including Mr Festus Keyamo, cautioned Onanuga on the ignoble path he has chosen for himself, he was quoted to have stated: “I owe no one an apology for ethnic slur against the Igbo.”