ONITSHA — The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on Political Matters, Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu has expressed concern that Ndigbo might declare former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi a persona non grata for his provocative utterances against Ndigbo at the just concluded World Igbo Congress, WIC held in New York City, United States of America, USA. He quoted Obi as saying at the WIC that the “identity’ given to Ndigbo by former President Goodluck Jonathan was more important than bringing infrastructural development to the zone.”

In a press statement issued at the weekend in Onitsha, Awogu noted that considering the level of anguish commuters and other users of Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and other dilapidated federal infrastructure in the South-East go through on daily basis, one would ponder how the identity Mr. Obi allegedly said that Jonathan gave Ndigbo became better than rehabilitating Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Second Niger bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and other critical infrastructure Ndigbo need. “What really is the identity? Does it mean Ndigbo never had identity before the advent of former President Jonathan’s administration? Mr. Obi should tell Ndigbo the identity he is talking about. And where is the ‘identity’ in the present day situation of Ndigbo in Nigeria?”

According to Awogu, “will Ndigbo not ostracize and declare persona non grata, anyone that stands before Igbo global audience to say that former President Jonathan gave Ndigbo ‘identity’ and that the identity given to Ndigbo was better than building Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, 2nd Niger bridge and any other infrastructure Ndigbo can think of?”

As a matter of fact, beyond the neglect, deprivation and total abandonment suffered by infrastructures in Igboland under former President Jonathan, Ndigbo may be getting to know those responsible. If Mr. Peter Obi could suggest that ‘identity’ given to Ndigbo by former President Jonathan was better than building roads and other infrastructures in the South East, then, Ndigbo won’t have to think long before knowing where the infrastructural neglect they suffered under the past administration came from”. Awogu stated: “such views are in real sense anti-Igbo and I wonder how infrastructural needs of Ndigbo could be slaughtered at the altar of “identity,” for Ndigbo. “It’s mind boggling. May be Ndigbo are oblivious of Obi’s brand of identity which the infrastructural needs of Ndigbo were substituted with, under former President Jonathan’s administration which he (Obi) was an integral part of”