UZODINMA FIRES BACK AT WIKE: ‘IKWERRE MINORITY CANNOT SPEAK FOR IGBO MAJORITY’
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has reportedly taken a swipe at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the place of the Ikwerre people in the broader Igbo ethnic identity and their influence in Igbo affairs.
Uzodinma argued that the Ikwerre constitute a minority within the larger Igbo population and should not assume the authority to speak or decide for the entire Igbo ethnic group.
Making reference to Nigeria’s major ethnic groups — Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba — the governor reportedly expressed concern over what he described as an unusual situation within the Igbo community, where a minority group seeks to exercise dominance over the majority.
He maintained that such a position would not succeed, stressing that no minority group should claim superiority over the larger population.
The remarks have brought renewed attention to questions of ethnic identity, representation and leadership within the Igbo community, particularly against the backdrop of political differences involving prominent South-East and South-South figures.