With a 12-day ultimatum by the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) to the federal government for the "unconditional release" of their leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the failure including the election of the governor of the 6th failed to hold the stage for a seven-day lockdown southeast area ready to be.
And the group also warned area residents against disregarding the upcoming sit-at-home policy, stressing that it tested people's determination for the Biafra project.
In his opinion, closing the area for “just a week to guarantee our permanent freedom” is not such a high price to pay as “we have been sufficiently enslaved and imprisoned by the Fulani-controlled Nigerian federal government and its allies. "
Regardless of the threat from the IPOB, the political parties in the election will not be alarmed by the threat from the secessionist group in the election, even if they insist that nothing will break the process, especially more so than the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already issued guidelines for their practice.
Interestingly, while the high command of the police remained silent on the IPOB threat, the major political parties believe that the campaigns will proceed as planned with improved security.
In fact, all attempts to get the Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Police Commissioner (CP), Frank Mba, to comment on the development turned out to be unsuccessful, as he did not answer his calls.
For its part, INEC declined to comment directly on the new threat.
However, the National Commissioner and Chair of the Voter Information and Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the Interinstitutional Advisory Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on the way forward for the Anambra election that is supposed to hold on Monday, October 25 will go on.
When asked whether INEC was considering postponing the elections due to uncertainty in the state, Okoye said he would not be able to comment on the matter until after the meeting.
In a statement signed by its media and public secretary Emma Powerful yesterday, IPOB announced
that the FG has up till November 4th to release Kanu unconditionally, or it would commence a one-week lockdown in the region which will start November 5th.
The statement read: “Following the adjournment of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s court case to 10th of November 2021 by the Federal High Court, Abuja, we, the great movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), wish to inform Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom that IPOB will lock down Biafra land from November 5 to 10 except Sunday, November 7, a day our people worship the Almighty God, Chukwu Okike Abiama, if the Nigeria government fails to release our leader unconditionally before November 4, 2021.
“Our leader Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released unconditionally by November 4, 2021, at the latest because he has not committed a known violation of the law. If we don't release our leader by November 4, 2021, at the latest, our week-long home base will begin from November 5, 2021, to November 10, ”the group said.
The statement went on to say: “While we fully understand the pain and adverse effects of this option on our people, we are compelled to take it in order to achieve a better goal in the common interest of the Biafranais. We took the time to analyze what happened on October 21st when our leader was brought to justice and discovered that the federal government is not being righteous and just wants to humiliate him and keep him constantly under the control of the DSS to get there to rot.
“We have all seen lawyers, journalists, Igbo delegates, and respected traditional leaders and others who came from around the world to attend his trial, were prevented from entering the courthouses by security guards who had them in the scorching heat stopped outside. from the sun. What humiliation and wickedness!
“We can no longer accept that. We can never allow our leader Onyendu Kanu to be tried in secret, nor can we ever allow him to be tried in any form under Sharia law. Nigeria must obey international law in its dealings.
Nothing should stop poll, Ohanaeze warns
However, in response to the proposed weeklong sit-at-home, pan-Igbo sociocultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has warned that nothing should threaten the November 6th gubernatorial election.
Group spokesman Alex Ogbonnia warned all parties to be cautious, saying it was unwise to stop the elections.
Ogbonia, who said this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday, called for calm while Igbo leaders made efforts to get Canoe's release.
He said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all to show maturity and wisdom, especially with regard to the indigenous peoples of Biafra, especially now that Igboland leaders from all walks of life have united in the battle to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to guarantee.
“The election of the governor of Anambra on November 6th is very important for all Ndigbos because the state is the economic thread of the Igbo. It is in the best interests of Anambra to sustain its economic growth. That is why we call on our young people to be mature. Anything interfering with this choice is not in the Igbo's best interests. We want the election to take place.
Meanwhile, Kanu and IPOB's attorney Ifeanyi Ejiofor said he would not be bothered by what he called the federal government's "lying trend" and "media propaganda" that linked Kanu to the recent high profile murders in the southeast.
Ejiofor sent an SMS to one of our correspondents on Saturday calling on IPOB supporters to remain calm, peaceful, and focused.