IPOB Replies Onitsha Monarch, Igwe Achebe On Anambra Election

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Thursday said that in as much as it respect the Biafran elders and traditional title holders in Biafra land who are making different comments over its decision to boycott elections in Biafra land starting with Anambra state governorship election, unless it is given a date for Biafra referendum, it cannot be intimidated by such elders and traditional title holders, neither will they set agenda for IPOB.

Obi of Onitsha Igwe Alfred Achebe IPOB in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, replying the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, who was quoted to have said that “IPOB has no right to stop election in Anambra State”, when the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Anambra State chapter, paid him a courtesy visit, said Biafra elders and traditional title holders, including the Obi of Onitsha are entitled to their opinion.

According to IPOB statement, “IPOB is a well known peace loving organization around the globe which has not been involved in violent activities in Nigeria, but have been violently attacked by the Hausa Fulani dominated security apparatus in Nigeria, who derive joy in killing the innocent members of IPOB.”

“We respect our elders and traditional title holders, like Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha and others who are making different statements regarding the IPOB decision to boycott elections in Biafra land starting from Anambra state election unless they give us a date for Biafra restoration.

“We believe they are entitled to their opinion but they cannot intimidate or set agenda for IPOB members from carrying out our decision. And they should know that they are human beings and cannot challenge IPOB worldwide.

“However, anybody who wants to come out and vote is free, but IPOB will not stop to fulfill the promise of boycotting the Anambra State Governorship election, come November 18, 2017 and we promise Igwe Achebe to come out and vote.

“IPOB will prove its formidability to Igwe Achebe and his likes on that very particular day that we are not politicians and we are not playing politics with Biafra restoration project because Biafra independence is the future of our children and unborn children.

The Onitsha monarch was quoted to have warned that IPOB has no right to stop election in Anambra State when members of Ohaneze Ndigbo in the state visited him, insisting that election must hold as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the state, urging the people of the state to come out en mass to cast their votes for their choice candidates without any fear of intimidation and harassment. He was also quoted to have said that “the traditional institution in the state has endorsed rotation of governorship slot to every zone just like the town Union and Ohaneze Ndigbo have done, adding that Anambra North should be allowed to complete the remaining four years before power moves to Another zone.”

According to Igwe Achebe “the election is for us not for the entire country, you cannot have a referendum in one part of the country without carrying other parts of the country along, and the government must support and sponsor it before it will be organized and not carving out some parts of the country for the referendum.” “The election must hold and nobody or group of persons will stop it, nobody should come to our state to cause unnecessary tension”‎