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Biafra: Onwuka Names Self President, Appoints Utomi, Soludo, Gana as Ministers
Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
The ongoing agitation for the Republic of Biafra on Monday assumed a new dimension as the Leader of the Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF), Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, declared himself as the new Biafran President as he announced an interim government to run the affairs of the Republic.
Onwuka was recently released from prison after being incarcerated for almost two years following his arrest when he attempted to take over Enugu Broadcast Station to declare the Republic.
Apart from declaring himself the President of Biafra Republic, Onwuka who briefed journalists in Enugu also named Professor Pat Utomi as the Foreign Affairs Minister.
“We have formed an interim government that will be in place till the next 30 days. The interim government will take off on August 1 and last till August 31, 2017.
“America is behind the Biafra people because former President Barrack Obama already endorsed Biafra before he left office and President Donald Trump will not go against it considering that it has formed part of America’s foreign policy,â€
He named other members of the cabinet to include Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Central Bank of Biafra (CBB); Mrs. Aruma Oteh- Finance Minister; former Personal Secretary to Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Petroleum Minister.
Others are Amarachi Ubani- Information; Ohanaeze President, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Ambassador to US; Prof. Jerry Gana, Transport; Labaran Maku, Aviation; a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Mrs. Mary Okafor, Trade and Industry; Benny Lar, Secretary to the Government of the Republic; Gabriel Oluwole Osagie, Education; Prof Barth Nnaji, Energy; Philip Effiong Jnr., Health.
Onwuka equally announced that the Israelis would hold the positions of Defence, Agriculture, Internal Affairs, Inspector General of Police (IG) and Air Force, adding that they would also take 25 per cent of the civil service jobs in Biafra.
He said: “Israel will be key players in this government because there is so much corruption in Nigeria; so, they are coming to help us clean the system. They are coming to sweep the system. They will come up with agro-revolution and also abolish corruption very easily.
“Same goes for America; their companies will be in control of our oil industry. This is to reward them for what Obama did for us; Obama saved us even when we were in detention; they already passed death sentence on us even without our knowledge, but Obama’s intervention saved us.â€
Onwuka called for full mobilisation of “Biafra security forces,†stressing that “all our security personnel in the army, police, air force, navy and others are hereby called upon to withdraw from Nigeria and join the Biafra Government.
“I am also calling on the avengers, the militants to come out from the creeks and join us to defend and protect Biafra. I’m beckoning on Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Ateke Tom to come out and join us. I am calling on all our boys in Biafra land to come out. I’m not afraid, the US is with us.â€
He equally slammed the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, for allegedly refusing to free 10 of his members who were granted bail by the same court.