The BZM leader, Benjamin Onwuka, declared himself the ‘Interim President’ of the new nation, at a Press briefing at the Enugu Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
One of the pro-Biafran groups, the Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF) in Enugu, declared the secession of the ‘Republic of Biafra’ from Nigeria, today, Tuesday.
He also named Ministers and other top government officials of Biafra.
The officials named by Onwuka are prominent personalities drawn from different areas, which the BZF leader said were Biafran territories.
Eminent Economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, was named the Foreign Minister, while a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has been appointed as the Governor of the Central Bank of Biafra.
In the same vein, a former boss of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms. Arunma Oteh, has been named the Finance Minister.
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, was named as the Ambassador of the Republic of Biafra to the United States, while a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, from Niger State, was appointed the Transport Minister.
Another former Information Minister and former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Labaran Maku, has been named as the Minister of Aviation.
Other key appointments, as announced by Onwuka, include: Amarachi Ubani, Information; Mrs. Mary Okafor, Trade and Industry; Benny Lar, from Plateau State, Secretary to the Government of the Republic of Biafra; Gabriel Oluwole Osagie, Education; and Philip Effiong Jnr., Health.
Prof. Barth Nnaji, a former Power Minister, was named as Energy Minister in the ‘cabinet’ assembled by Onwuka.
It was not clear whether Onwuka consulted the ‘appointees’, before naming them as part of his ‘government.’
The BZF leader explained that the nascent Biafran government was an interim one, claiming that he had the backing of the United States, US.
According to Onwuka, the alleged recognition of the independence of Biafra, was part of US foreign policy, having been endorsed by former President, Barack Obama, before he left office.