The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a disclaimer over its stance on the upcoming governorship elections in Anambra State on Saturday, November 6.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, in response to claims that the group imposed a stay-at-home order tantamount to a boycott of the polls.
The group while claiming it did not call for boycott of the election, further reiterated it’s call for people in Anambra to observe the sit-at home between November 5 and November 10, while also calling on whoever wants to go out to vote on November 6 to be cautious of their security.
The IPOB statement reiterated that it did not call for the boycott of the election and has not asked anyone to impose the sit-at-home order.
According to Powerful, the group is only interested in securing the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
The statement reads, ”IPOB wish to correct some misconceptions, unfounded speculations and outright falsehood concerning our position on the forthcoming November 6 governorship election in Anambra state.
First of all, we wish to reiterate that IPOB did not at any time issue an order or call for the boycott of the said election contrary to misconceptions in certain quarters. IPOB has nothing to do with the Anambra election. Nobody should therefore link us with the election. The freedom of our Leader is what matters to us and we don’t need distractions.”
The statement continued, “The priority of IPOB is to secure the unconditional release of our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been illegally detained since his rendition to Nigeria. All we said was that if by November 4 those who abducted, renditioned, and illegally detained him fail to release him unconditionally, Biafrans shall embark on civil disobedience of a one-week sit-at-home beginning from November 5 to November 10.
This action has nothing to do with the Anambra election. We are not concerned if anyone wishes to participate or not to participate in the Anambra election. But our only advice to Ndi Anambra especially those contemplating to vote is to be very careful about their security.
“We want to categorically state that IPOB has not asked anybody to monitor or enforce compliance to any sit-at-home as this is unnecessary because Biafrans willingly and consciously obey IPOB’s call for Sit-At-Home.”
