Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, chairman of elders’ forum of the
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, says he never called Yoruba people “political rascals”.
Speaking at an event marking the one year anniversary of
Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, Iwuanyanwu said “political rascals” were
behind the ethnic profiling during the elections in Lagos.
Reacting to the development, Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-political
group, called on the Ohanaeze to warn Iwuanyanwu not to insult the Yoruba race.
In a statement issued on Monday, Iwuanyanwu said the
comments attributed to him were fake.
“I want to make it
abundantly clear that at no time did I make the statement credited to me by
blackmail circulating on the social media that Yorubas are political rascals as
this was fraudulently manipulated,” he said.
“I want to warn all perpetrators of this fake news that it
is a criminal offence to circulate fake news against a peace-loving Nigerian.
For the avoidance of doubt, I am a senior citizen who has meritoriously served
Nigeria.
“What I did at the ceremony was to admonish Igbos who felt
threatened by various attacks in Lagos that they have no cause to worry because
there are no problems between Igbos and Yorubas.
“I therefore told
them to stay in Lagos and go about their normal businesses. I did however
mention to them that the attackers are political rascals and their action does
not reflect the good relationship between Yorubas and Igbos.
“I don’t have any doubt in my mind that the peddlers of this
fake news are part of the syndicates that brought misery and sadness to the
Igbos resident in Lagos. I am appealing to the Yorubas to fish them out and
know that they are portraying Yorubas in a bad light.”
Iwuanyanwu added that one of his daughters is married to a
Yoruba man from Oyo state and they have been together for 20 years.
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