Pan-Igbo activists have sharply criticized Works Minister David Umahi, insisting he lacks authority to speak for the Igbo on Biafra agitation after he dismissed it as a "closed chapter" during a recent Tinubu administration defense. Groups like the Igbo National Council and Ohanaeze Ndigbo factions accused Umahi of betraying collective aspirations by aligning with federal narratives that ignore ongoing marginalization and self-determination calls led by figures like Nnamdi Kanu.
The backlash followed Umahi's statement prioritizing national unity over separatist rhetoric, which activists labeled as tone-deaf amid unresolved issues like Kanu's detention and uneven infrastructure in the Southeast. They urged Igbo leaders to reject "government puppets," vowing sustained advocacy for equity without Umahi's endorsement.
Tensions highlight deepening Igbo-Federal divides, with critics demanding Umahi focus on deliverables like road projects rather than suppressing agitation discourse.