Director of Media of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) to account for his role in July 28, 1969 counter coup d ‘etat, during which about 300 Igbo people were slaughtered.
Fani-Kayode made the demand during a press conference he addressed in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, where he called on the South-East voters to shun the APC presidential candidate at the polls.
According to him, the role played in the massacre of defenceless Igbos by the army division in which Buhari served, was part of the questions that was to have been put to Buhari during the sitting of the Justice Chukwudufu Oputa-led panel which he shunned. However, he said it was important that Buhari addressed the issues now that he is seeking to become the president of the country.
“We attended caucus meetings with them and the questions that kept coming up on the issue of the presidential election centred on the role Buhari played in the very sad events of the night of July 28, 1966, when a coup d’état took place in our country, during which no fewer than 300 Igbo army officers, a sitting head of state, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and a serving governor of the old Western Region, Colonel Fajuyi, were killed in the most brutal fashion in less than 24 hours.
“It is important for us to look into this today, considering the fact that Buhari is aspiring to be the next president of Nigeria.
“The Nigerian people have a right to know the truth about Buhari’s role in the tragic events of that night, as they do not deserve to be kept in the dark. We deserve to know who did what, who to and how many times. That is the message I got from most of the Igbo leaders I met on this tour and that is certainly the feeling of most Nigerians. The days of feeding our people with half-truth and telling them not to discuss the ugly events of the past which were long over. It does not stop there.
“The other issues that were raised centred on the role Buhari allegedly played during the very tragic events in the core north in the mid 60s just before the Civil War, when no fewer than 100,000 innocent and defenceless Igbo civilians, mainly women and children, were killed within a period of three months by irate and armed local mobs.
“Many have asked and wondered whether it was true that Buhari was amongst those that covertly orchestrated and encouraged those killings, as well as supported the slaughter of those innocent and helpless citizens. We consider this issue most relevant today, because this same man, who some people have alleged was involved in this carnage and genocide, is desperate to become the next president of Nigeria.
“We give thanks to God that Igboland is now a vital and integral part of a united and indivisible Nigeria and that the pains of the Civil War are many years behind us, yet the wounds inflicted on our minds must be healed and completely too.
“This can only be done by the exposition and enunciation of truth and when those who committed the most heinous atrocities against innocent civilians, women and children, even many years ago, are brought to justice. This can only be done after the souls of the innocents that were slaughtered are appeased by ensuring that anyone, no matter how highly placed, who committed or encouraged any crime against humanity at any point in time in our history against fellow Nigerians is brought to book.
“The best way to do this is not to dismiss these grave and serious questions, because this man was accused of participating in the terrible atrocities against the Igbo, both on January 29, 1966 and during the course of the massacre of innocent civilians in the North in September, October and November 1966.
“At this juncture, we must ask this painful, yet pertinent question: Is it true that the blood of the Igbo people ran up to the knees of Buhari on the night of July 29, 1966? This question, among others were put to Buhari during the sitting of the late Oputa-led panel in 2001 and instead of him answering them accordingly, for attendant matters to be settled once and for all and, if these allegations were indeed true, for him to ask for forgiveness, Buhari refused to turn up. Instead of coming clean and making use of this historic opportunity to settle the matter once and for all and make peace, Buhari went to court to ask for an injunction to restrain the panel from compelling him to come and give answers.
“This is very unfortunate and it is nothing but a sad and graphic reflection of his unrepentant and vicious mindset. The truth is that it is because he failed to face the Oputa-led panel and answer those questions 14 years ago, that we are still asking those questions today,” he said.
Something maybe wrong with this man.
Fami-Kayode I think is a big fool bringing what happened in the past far back 1969 to this election. However, can he tell Mr President to explain the role the South South played to the fall of Biafra and subsequently the abandoned property.
@Uzo, you are wise with this response, i should also let you know that the purpose of this comment from Femi Fani Kayode is to divide the igbos/confuse them about the election, your ability to discern that is what i commend. FFK, is never a friend of the Igbos, remembering what he even said about Ojukwu’s wife. he is saying of all of this because of the forth coming election. infact i deleted myself from his facebook friends because of his propaganda.
@Uzo and Yomi, it appalled me to see such display of ignorance by you guys…how can you say the past should be forgotten? How can you elect a man without looking at his antecedents? History and antecedents are indeed prerequisites for being electable. In a civilised polity, a man like Buhari can never have the effrontery to contest an election…Do you know what it means to kill a soul? Not to talk of about 300? A man that disrupted Democracy and murdered innocent souls…a bigot! I sincerely think any Ibo, and Yoruba man/woman, that votes for Buhari in this election is a bastard!
@ Kunle, if we Igbos should concentrate on antecedents, then we will never vote for anybody outside Igbo land. Is it the Niger Deltans that betrayed us by allowing the federal troops access to their water ways to eliminate the Igbos, the Yorubas who connived with the Hausas even when we had same agenda of self-determination with them or who? So we will never listen to FFK because he also insulted the Igbos recently by alluding to his previous relationship with Bianca Onoh, wife of our respected hero to disparage us. If I had my way, I would have mobilized Igbo youths who would have pelted him with stones to show him we hate him. Even those of us who will vote for GEJ will do so not for the rantings of FFK but for who GEJ is.
Is always good to no the truth.hausa people most surly pay for what they did to our 4fathers nd what they re still doin to igbos till date so enemy to our enemy is our friend
You seem not familier with the Nigerian structure to identify the Hausa, Fulani, Efic, Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri etc. Why didn’t the South South joined except the old Calabar joined Biafra
FFK’s mission is accomplished with your concurrence. this is what FFK want you to believe. rethink and discern who is best for you
Femi-Kayode, must be a big fool bringing up what happened far back 1969 into this election. May he also ask Mr President to explain the role the South South played to the fall of Biafra and the abandoned property.
The truth is bitter !! Supporting femi kayode , jona and PDP all the way . If u don’t like it huge transformer
UZO,you an animal.You are mentally empty and your thinking is distorted – Devil who is Buhari’s brother and servant
Ds fani kayode must be a bigot n the greatess fool of all tym,wht ds has to do with current political terrain we are now and not that is father or mother related to us,if he did not know how to campaign for his pay master he can resign bcos l know for sure he will definate postraste to buhari for forgiveness come June ds year,he is use to it.Thief thief FFK.
Why on earth will a man whose father or father’s father doesn’t have a hand in the harmonisation of the country be uttering words of National Discord and disintegration all in the name of satisfying his stomach infrastucture.This man’s issue is appearing spiritual.they need to put ‘ese ile’ in his matter
a comprehensive details of those who took part in the genocide should be forwarded to ICC. without any political sentiments attached.I read recently that top govt officials in Nigeria. , UK, Russia,USA, UN, and even the Vatican were involved in genocidal acts in Biafra from 1966 to 1970
Despite those genocidal acts Biafra was a military industrial complex manufacturing refineries, tanks, armoured personnel. carriers, rockets of advanced types etc a d they even made modified aircraft..Let’s. hope for a truth commission. to talk of compenzafions for genocide and to also refer the culprits to. Intl criminal court
It is very clear that Femi Fani-Kayode has relapsed into an unfortunate addictive habit of substance abuse. This man needs help immediately!
Haba Femi omo ale ni e…
He has turn to a mad person for asking a right question, it is all over the world anyone who does kill innocent citizens must be brought to book…. simple
@Uzo and Yomi, it appalled me to see such display of ignorance by you guys…how can you say the past should be forgotten? How can you elect a man without looking at his antecedents? History and antecedents are indeed prerequisites for being electable. In a civilised polity, a man like Buhari can never have the effrontery to contest an election…Do you know what it means to kill a soul? Not to talk of about 300? A man that disrupted Democracy and murdered innocent souls…a bigot! I sincerely think any Ibo, and Yoruba man/woman, that votes for Buhari in this election is a bastard!
UZO”, you are a big fool”, I must tell You this”!. Let me tell that my granfather was one of the biggest man in jos in those days and a very good friend of Aguirosi”,very rich”, but the problem that my family is facing now is because of my family lost everything that my granfather have after he was killed in the year 1967 september 27 which I will never forget”!.UZO let me tell if I have the chance to kill so-call APC candidate”, hey I will because he is the one that put my family into problem and lacking and lossing of all that he has”, UZO you are a big fool”, if I see You real don’t be suprise that I may kill you and them APC Bu-nosence”!. Fuck you with them too”, fools
Kunle, you have spoken the hard truth. While we don’t want to muddle things up, the past is a critical factor for the future. Buhari should have known that no sin goes unpunished. If he was involved, he should own up and confess. If he wasn’t, what is there to hide? We can’t vote for a man who is not ready to take responsibility for his actions
We are quick to forget history. Thus we fail to learn fundamental truths from history. And so we allow history to repeat itself. Buhari is not the change we need. Tinubu and his cohorts are only trying to push this dangerous man down our throat because of their selfish aspirations for power and oil well. The souls of the helpless men they killed will not allow them succeed. Useless politicians think we the people have forgotten. They think we are daft. With our PVC we will show them who has the real power.
Any nigerian who refuses to take cognisance of Buhari’s hatred for Igbos and christians at large ( I would say hatred demonstrated against some northerners as well on account of his inhuman treatment of Umaru Dikko (packaging in a crate a human being and a former minister of the federation in total disrespect of international law)spells out the kind of human nature he has.Those of us,Igbos who were kids during the civil war and exiled or residing in Cameroun at the time were morally tortured by Ahmadou Ahidjo (then muslim president of Cameroun). Inspite of constant proddings by General De Gaule and later George Pompidou successive french presidents,the cameroonian muslim president did not allow any form of humanitarian aid via Cameroun to Biafra.The inhumanity of occasioned by that saddist sparked the immediate resignation of Dr. John Ngu Foncha then Vice President of Cameroon.One wonders how Nigerians be them true muslims,christians do envisage voting in a man with such a record of brutality as a Young man;incarcerating and torturing his fathers or persons of their age yet allowing suitcases of money unchecked in Murtala Mohamed Airport, how does such a man stand before nigerians to ask for votes?.History hardly distorts issues of such gravity and every human should now understand that above all there is the law of nature.Where is Ahidjo and how did he die?.Where is Ghedaffi and how did he end up?.It is unfortunate that the North has allowed a single candidate to represent them four times as if they have no other personality than MOHAMED BUHARI.I wish the North had a civilian BABANGIDA.
In 2011 my Copper friend told me how she and few person escaped death after d Presid… Election.while her colleaque from Yoruba a muslem was burnt alive by men of the same believe with him after he finished praying in d mosque that day.if history is not important then we should not talk about sustainng this world we live in.esp Nigeria.we cannot forget the labours of heros past, so i cannot forget GMB evil in d past
FFK should rethink his position and stop fanning the flames of confusion and hatred among Nigerians especially now that our country is in a tensed election mood. I have always called on our president to call this man to order if he himself is peace-loving, cherishes the continued and unhindered coexistence of Nigerira as a political entity and if he is not behind the tirade against his supposed opponent. If Jonathan continues to condone these devilish attacks on our potential president, Buhari, then he is not fit to rule Nigeria himself. He is supposed to unite and not divide the nation.
@Dotun Iwo gaggan ni omo ale ogidi
posterity will judge the Igbos if they vote gmb
tell me @dotun have u visited the north b4?
sebi ile lanwo kiato so omo loruko.
@ dotu omo ale Yoruba ni e
Well I won’t support FFK in making such statements neither will I vote Buhari.
My simple reason is that Buhari lacks the capacity to lead the country and that’s it.
Buhari believes that rich people are corrupt which will be his guide, he lacks tolerance and with this can’t set the pace for development.
His plan is to share to money to unemployed people rather than set the pace for industrialisation. Hell NO, no 1st world country or aspiring one needs a leader like this.
Look at this mad Man, is he not same person that bosted to hv sexual affair with Ojukwu ‘ s wife Bianica? now he’s trying to blindfold Igbos, forgetting that if it is an Igbo Man seeking for president he FFK ‘ll do same to them by digging what Ojukwu did many years ago, either true or false just to earn his pay, work weldone.
You are all dullards! Nigerian history can never be turned upside down. 1966 coup was carried out by some disgruntled IBO army officers against some northern and south western political and military leaders. Northerners lost Ahmafu Bello, Balewa, Maimalari, Wash Pam etc. South westerners lost Akintola, Okotieboh, AdemulegShodeinde etc. The IBO officers who killed them refused to arm Azikiwe and Aguiyi-Ironsi, rather, he and Okpara were informed of the coup. This injustice necesitated the 1967 counter-coup. Pls don’t open an old wound because it is going to be an hill wind that will blow nobody any good. This is another strong reason why GEJ has to be voted out because he has caused more damage to our unity and oneness in this country. Femi’s father was a traitor who betrayed Akintola by colluding with Ibos to kill Akintola while he, Fani-power was spared. Omo atiro t’olo ra bata fun iyaare oro lofe gbo!
Let jonathan also account for millions of souls lost during his tenure.and his contributions to property damage. FFK is a bastard as far as many of us know. A nonentity of the highest level. Nigerians shall stand, come rain or sunshine.