Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State, has said his comments in Ghana when addressing Igbo community “were blown out of proportion and was misconstrued“
He also apologized to his supporters, who may have been offended by the word “saboteur”, when speaking to Igbo community in Accra, Ghana.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, Ihedioha said it is not in his character to be rude, reiterating that he respects peoples choices and opinion.
Ihedioha made the clarification in reaction to a viral video which alleged that he described the supporters of Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Igbos, as saboteurs.
He said the word “saboteur” he used during his speech, was not referring to the supporters of the presidential candidate or the Igbo, but to his kinsmen who are predominantly members of the PDP, while harping on the need for the party to reclaim power in the coming election.
“I went to Ghana on the invitation of my kinsmen. I am an Mbaise man and we celebrate the “Iri Ji” (New Yam Festival) and for quite some time, they have requested me to come join them and I felt it was important to do that at this time.
“I was speaking to my kinsmen predominantly members of my party, the PDP. And so, knowing where we are coming from as a people, understanding our circumstances and where the PDP administration left Nigeria and that we are the PDP in Nigeria and the promises that were made to Nigerians by the All Progressives Congress, APC, who were surging to take over power. Promises of constant light, free education, free housing, prosperity and stabilization were all mirage, deceitful and fraudulent.
“Those promises have never come to pass and so when you talk about the future of our country, you get worried as people who may for one reason or the other be decieved into believing that you wish it happens. And so, the desire for me, for a PDP administration that has internal mechanism of good governance cannot be over emphasized. And so I spoke to our people within the PDP consciously, to express the need for them, not to sabotage our efforts in reclaimming power in 2023, so that Nigerians can see good governance” he stated