June 12: Abiola Borrowed My Private Jet to See IBB – Iwuanyanwu

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) has revealed how Late Chief M.K.O Abiola borrowed his private jet to see General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the then Military President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces in Abuja in one of the crucial meetings called to resolve the political impasse.

Chief Iwuanyanwu who disclosed this in Owerri during a well attended maiden stakeholders meeting organized by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State as part of the activities marking the democracy day celebration.

Accordingly to the Political Icon ” Late Chief M.K.O Abiola is a good friend of mine, when the problem of June 12 struggle started,I visited him in his Ikeja residential home. On that day he has an urgent need to see President Babangida in Aso Villa and rush back for another crucial meeting , I borrowed him my private jet to tell you how close we were.

I know alot about June 12, I personally talked to Babangida to respect the people’s wish.at the appropriate time i will reveal more of the intrigues associated to June 12.

For now June 12 is history but the struggle revealed alot of things among which is why Igbo men hate themselves. Certainly, if it is an Igbo man that his Presidential mandate was unjustly truncated, no body will fight for him ” he lamented.

He pointed out that the Yorubas fought and stood for June 12 and thus why they have benefitted immensely in the national polity.

Accordingly to him ” through the struggle the Yorubas ensure that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was made President for 8 years, through the struggle the Yorubas have ensured that Chief M.K.O Abiola’s name is immortalized. Through the struggle the Yoruba nation have attracted alot of Federal Government projects and institutions but if it is an Igbo man no body will be ready to sacrifice for him.

Igbos will even be in the forefront of attacking the person to abandon the struggle. Igbos will abandon him. Igbos don’t celebrate their heroes rather they’ll be busy attacking him just to pull him down” he observed.

Chief Iwuanyanwu canvassed on the need for Igbos to be their brothers keeper like other ethnic groups noting this as a fundamental lesson an Igbo man should learn from the struggle of June 12.

He described the essence of democracy as fundamental guarantee that all men are created equal no matter tribe or religion and that democracy can never thrive were one tribe or religion sees itself as being superior to the other.

The former Presidential aspirant also lamented that “the greatest danger to the unity of Nigeria as a country is not the Igbos, is not IPOB, is not MASSOB, is not BIM , is not Biafra, it’s the herdsmen carrying AK 47 and the Boko Haram. These two endangered species are the things that are threatening the unity and stability of the country.

Boko Haram has been there for nearly ten years, the first world war didn’t last up to 5 years, second world war didn’t last up to 6 years. This is one of the longest wars in history. It’s a war. Every day they’re telling us we have done this we have done that, the war is being fought round and round. In military tactics, the easiest way to defend is to be on attacking offensive.

By now security intelligence unto have found out who are these Boko Haram? Where are they? And who are those helping them ? Who are their sponsors ? If they are being sponsored from abroad, the Federal Government have the military and financial muscles to organize and liase with Western powers so as to destabilize them.

They are spreading fast, let us not make mistake about it, the group has ambition. Recently, the leader of the Hausa Fulani herdsmen said in the media that the entire Eastern region is their land and territory, we Igbos are ready for them. Let them try anything funny in any part of Igbo land, as Chairman of Ohanaeze Elders Forum, I have to tell you that we Igbos are not folding our hands. You dare not touch the Tiger by the tail whether living or dead ” he warned.

Iwuanyanwu further identified corruption as another bane of the nation and advised on the need to ruthlessly fight it.