ohaneze Ndigbo
Igbo organisations based in the United States have sharply rebuked the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, over his claim that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has addressed the marginalisation of the South-East, insisting that the assertion is detached from reality and deeply offensive to Ndigbo.
In a strongly worded joint statement released on Saturday, the groups accused Umahi of arrogating to himself an authority he does not possess and warned that his personal political views must not be presented as the collective position of the Igbo people.
“Our attention has been drawn to an unguarded and misleading statement by Senator David Umahi suggesting that Ndigbo should forget Biafra agitation because the federal government has addressed all Igbo challenges,” the statement read. “We state categorically that Umahi does not have the mandate to speak for Ndigbo.”
The statement was signed by Dr Sylvester Onyia, President of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent; Ben Nwankwo, representing Ambassadors for Self-Determination; and Maxwell Dede of The Rising Sun.
The groups accused the former Ebonyi State governor of attempting to trivialise decades of structural exclusion in the South-East while aligning himself with the political establishment in Abuja.
“Since he claims not to believe in Biafra, Biafrans equally do not believe in people who undermine the struggle,” they said. “No one is forcing him to join the agitation, but he certainly lacks the authority to stop it or to speak on behalf of the people.”
Questioning claims that Igbo marginalisation has ended under the Tinubu administration, the groups demanded evidence of tangible gains for the region.
“It is an insult to the intelligence and sensibility of Ndigbo to suggest that marginalisation is over,” the statement said. “Since President Tinubu assumed office, what exactly has Alaigbo gained?”
They pointed to what they described as continued infrastructural neglect, highlighting the abandoned Umuahia–Enugu railway project, even as major rail lines in other parts of the country remain operational.
“Why is the Umuahia–Enugu rail line still dormant while routes like Lagos–Kano and Katsina–Niger Republic are functional?” they asked. “Why does the South-East have only five ministers—two of them junior—while a single state elsewhere enjoys four ministers?”
The groups also lamented the absence of critical federal infrastructure in the region, including a functional seaport and cargo airport, despite the South-East’s reputation as a commercial hub.
“There is no seaport in the South-East, even though our people are among the largest importers in Nigeria,” they said. “There is no functional cargo airport, no major federal industrial or maritime project. These are facts, not sentiments.”
On the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the groups described his incarceration as a symbol of injustice and unequal treatment.
“Why is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in detention while known terrorists and mass murderers walk free or are treated with kid gloves?” they queried. “Anyone who supports his continued detention is acting against the interests of the Igbo people.”
They further alleged that Kanu’s detention is sustained by a combination of foreign interests and Nigerian politicians who, they said, have chosen personal comfort over justice.
“That is the root of the anger. That is why many feel betrayed,” the statement noted.
The groups also criticised the Ebube Agu regional security outfit, accusing its promoters of enabling abuses in parts of the South-East and demanding accountability for alleged atrocities often blamed on IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Reiterating their position, the organisations stressed that the Biafra agitation is larger than any individual politician or political appointment.
“Biafra is bigger than Umahi,” they declared. “This struggle is not about appointments or pleasing Abuja; it is about justice, dignity and self-respect.”
They concluded with a direct message to both the minister and the Federal Government:
“David Umahi does not speak for Ndi Igbo. He speaks only for himself. Our demand remains clear and non-negotiable: release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Anything short of that is deception.”