By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Coalition of Igbo Political and Social – Cultural Groups, Lagos State have dissociated themselves from the proposed nationwide protest slated for August 1, describing it as counter-productive and ill advised.

Coordinator of the groups, Anselm Anatuanatu, made the remarks on Tuesday, during a media briefing held at Ikeja.

Also, in attendance include: President-General, Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos, Sunday Eze, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos, Sunday Ossia, among others.

The coalition is made up of 16 large groups, such as: The Council of Ndieze in Lagos state, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos,

South-East Forum, Lagos, Igbo Mandate, Seven Igbo Town Unions, Igbo Speaking Community, Igbo Vision All Progressives Congress, APC Lagos, Igbo Market Men and Women Associations, among others.

The groups however, hailed President Bola Tinubu for approving the South-East Development Commission and for deeming it right and due to appoint an Igbo illustrious son as the Chief of Naval Staff, thereby allowing Igbo ethnic group a say in the National security structure.

According to the groups, “After an empirical analysis and over-view of the current economic situation in Nigeria, we as a body, agree that it is not in dispute that there is hardship in the country.

However, current economic down-turn is not limited to Nigeria alone, as other developed and developing Nations are going through almost same situation.

“It is therefore imperative and important to note that the current economic situation bedeviling our country is not caused by the present government led by President Bola Tinubu.

“Rather, it is a cumulative effect and result of past bad governance, which logically and sensibly cannot be attributed to the present President BolaTinubu’s Administration, which is barely one year in the saddle.

“In view of the above said, we are saying that National protest at this time when the federal government is trying to revamp the economy is going to be counter-productive, hence, ill advised. Therefore, we are distancing ourselves and the entire Ndigbo in Lagos from the protest by some unscrupulous faceless elements, who are partly using Igbo nomenclatures to fan the embers of unsound agitation.

Nigerians should develop the culture of dialogue with government and deploy constructive criticism without recourse to unnecessary provocative protest and violence.

“It is in this regard that we enjoin all Igbos of all extractions, stakeholders, residents, traders and captains of industries, not to join in the protest.

“We are not destruction prone and cannot be part of those seeking to destroy what we partly and jointly built. Ndigbo are not wired for destruction but develops wherever we are residing.

“Let it be known that from all intelligence gatherings, the faceless organizers of this planned protest are not known to us, not Igbos and are merely hiding under Ndigbo name, dropping Igbo names to create confusion and gather credibility.”

The groups, however, appealed to Tinubu, as a gentleman democrat, to expedite action on the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, through a political process rather than Judiciary means, just as many prominent Ndigbo leaders had recently appealed and advocated.