The Second Niger Bridge’s naming after President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticised by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as being undesirable.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, who claimed the action of the South-East governors amounted to “a betrayal” of the people of the region.
During the commissioning of the bridge in Onitsha, on Tuesday, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said, “After consultation with the South-East governors and other stakeholders, they decided to name the bridge Muhammadu Buhari Second Niger Bridge”.
However, the IPOB spokesman asked the governors and politicians to reconsider their position on the name of the bridge.
The statement partly reads, “The bridge should be named after Dr Alex Ekweueme, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, Dr Sam Mbakwe, Prof. Chinua Achebe, Col. Achuzie, or many others that are well-deserving Igbo indigenes that anyone can suggest.
Powerful also noted, “The attention of the global Family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU has been drawn to the shameful naming of the second Niger Bridge after General Muhammadu Buhari by the shameless Igbo politicians.
“The man that the second Niger bridge is named after did not even show up for the opening ceremony because he had no respect or regard for Ndigbo and knows that he does not deserve any accolades in Biafra land.
“The sellout among the South Eastern Governors, particularly APC Governors …want Muhammadu Buhari to become the face of the Eastern Region as they display the face and name of a terrorist sponsorer at the entry and exit point of South East through the bridge.
“Naming the Second Niger Bridge after Buhari must not be allowed. The bridge must be renamed to a meritorious Igbo name. The Eastern politicians should tell us any project in the North named after an Igbo person.”