United States-based Igbo organisations have openly dismissed claims by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has resolved the long-standing marginalisation of Ndigbo.
The groups described the claim as false, offensive and detached from the realities in the South-East.
They insisted that nothing fundamental has changed for the region under the current federal government.
In a joint statement released on Saturday, the groups said Umahi spoke in his personal political interest and not for the Igbo people.
They maintained that no individual, including a serving minister, has the authority to define the collective position of Ndigbo on issues of marginalisation and self-determination.
“Our attention has been drawn to an unguarded statement by Senator David Umahi that Ndigbo should forget Biafra agitation because the federal government has addressed all the challenges of Ndigbo,” the statement read.
“We wish to remind him that he does not have the mandate to speak for Ndigbo. He should not allocate to himself powers he does not have.”
The statement was jointly signed by Dr Sylvester Onyia of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent, Ben Nwankwo of Ambassadors for Self-Determination, and Maxwell Dede of The Rising Sun.
They accused the former Ebonyi State governor of attempting to downplay deep-rooted grievances in the South-East while aligning himself with the political structure in Abuja.
“Since he said he does not believe in Biafra, Biafrans also do not believe in traitors like him,” they said. “Nobody is coercing him to join the struggle, but he lacks the powers to stop it or speak for the people.”
The groups challenged Umahi to point to clear and measurable gains the South-East has recorded since Tinubu assumed office.
They argued that claims of inclusion and fairness do not reflect the lived experiences of people in the region.
“It is an insult on the sensibility of Ndigbo for Umahi to claim that we are no longer marginalised,” the statement said. “Since Tinubu became president, what exactly has Alaigbo gained?”
They listed abandoned infrastructure as evidence of continued neglect.
According to them, the Umuahia–Enugu railway remains inactive while rail lines in other regions are functioning and receiving sustained federal attention.
“Why is the Umuahia–Enugu railway still moribund when other regions enjoy functional rail lines?” they asked. “Why does the South-East still have only five ministers, with two of them being junior ministers, while a single state in the South-West has four ministers?”
The organisations also faulted the absence of key economic infrastructure in the region, despite its reputation as a commercial hub.
They noted that the South-East still lacks a functional seaport and a cargo airport, limiting trade and industrial growth.
“Is Umahi not aware that there is no seaport in the South-East, even though our people are the highest importers in the country?” the statement said. “Do we have any functional cargo airport, major federal industries or maritime projects? Other regions do. Alaigbo does not.”
On the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the groups described his incarceration as a symbol of injustice against the Igbo people.
They argued that his continued detention deepens anger and mistrust in the federal system.
“Why is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu jailed while real terrorists and mass murderers roam freely and are treated with levity?” they asked. “Anyone who helps to keep Kanu in detention is working against the Igbo people.”
They further alleged that both foreign interests and some Nigerian political actors are complicit in sustaining Kanu’s detention for selfish reasons.
According to them, this has fueled feelings of betrayal among many Igbos at home and in the diaspora.
“That is why people are angry. That is why people feel betrayed,” the statement added.
The groups also criticised the regional security outfit, Ebube Agu, accusing those behind its creation of failing to prevent abuses in parts of the South-East.
They demanded accountability, claiming that criminal acts are often wrongly blamed on IPOB and the Eastern Security Network.
“Those who created Ebube Agu should be held accountable for the atrocities committed in Igbo land, which are often wrongly blamed on IPOB and ESN,” they said.
Reaffirming their position, the organisations said the agitation for Biafra goes beyond political appointments or ministerial influence.
They insisted it is rooted in justice, equity and collective dignity.
“Biafra is bigger than Umahi,” they declared. “The struggle is not about appointments or pleasing Abuja. It is about justice, dignity and self-respect.”
They concluded by distancing the Igbo people from the minister’s remarks and restating their demand to the federal government.
“Dave Umahi does not speak for Ndi Igbo. He speaks only for himself. Our demand remains simple and clear: release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Anything else is deception.”