The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB on Tuesday insisted that there is no going back on its stance on 2019 election boycott.
This came on the heels of an ongoing speculations and rumors in certain quarters, including discussions on some electronic media platforms and newspaper publications.
IPOB claimed the rumour is mischievously crafted to misinterpret its leader’s address on Saturday, January 12, 2019
A statement by the group’s media and publicity secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful stated that Nigerians, after listening to the broadcast, insinuated that its leader had made a U-turn by asking IPOB members and Biafrans to participate in Abia and Ebonyi states.
The group insisted that despite its call for election boycott, it will still work to ensure that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and his counterpart, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, never return to office for a second term.
The statement reads in part, ‘Therefore, we the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to state categorically to all and sundry that our resolve to stop Okezie Ikpeazu and David Umahi does not affect IPOB position towards boycotting the upcoming presidential election in February this year.
“It is crystal clear that various interpretations emanating from certain quarters and individuals about our leader’s interactive session via Radio Biafra are blatant false designed to pander to base instincts of those who wish to distract IPOB from achieving our aim next month.
“IPOB is a highly sophisticated movement that have demonstrably proven over many years our capacity to handle multiple and even complex directives from the leadership.
“There is no ambiguity in the instructions our leader gave on Saturday. If anything, it was crystal clear from the broadcast that those responsible for the kidnapping and abduction of our people by the army and DSS in recent days must be held accountable for it.
“David Umahi and Okezie Ikpeazu must be made to feel the rage of the people and this will best be served by ensuring their defeat at the polls.’
IPOB maintained that the broadcast and interactive session via Radio Biafra from Israel by its leader was purely educational and rightly sought to enlighten Biafrans and right thinking individuals and groups who are victims and witnesses of Operation Python Dance, to the evil being committed against Biafrans by David Umahi and Okezie Ikpeazu.
The statement added, “Our resolve to ensure Okezie Ikpeazu and David Umahi failure during this coming election must be enforced no matter the level of propaganda, abductions, arrests, humiliation, intimidation and killings of innocent citizens of Biafra.
“From next month Okezie Ikpeazu, David Umahi and co will realize and understand that IPOB movement is rooted in every clan and community in Biafraland. Those seeking to deflect our attention away from removing Umahi and Ikpeazu are wasting their time because their complicity in bringing Operation Python Dance to our land is an unpardonable atrocity against our land and God in heaven.
“Anybody in support of Umahi and Okezie Ikpeazu will be seen as a supporter of the killing of IPOB family members which in turn will make that person an enemy of the people.
“We shall boycott the forthcoming presidential elections and every other with the notable exception of Abia and Ebonyi where the incumbents, Okezie Ikpeazu and Dave Umahi are using their positions to facilitate the kidnapping, arrest, torture and execution of our people. This recent misconception by some individuals who intend to have Umahi and Ikpeazu return to office, will never deter us because they don’t exist in the real world. They only inhabit the realm of gossip.
“The decision by IPOB to shutdown Biafraland on the election day has gone far and cannot be changed or stopped unless our terms are met.
People are at liberty to twist, fabricate and misunderstand IPOB, but the people of Biafra understand clearly where we are going. We will continue to deploy all forms of civil disobedience, most notably boycott of every Nigerian election until they give us date for Biafra referendum.”
IPOB further said that its aim towards achieving the set goal and desire cannot be truncated by an orchestrated attempt to misinform the public by enemies of Biafra both within and without.
“Our decision to shutdown Biafraland on 16th of February is sacrosanct”, the statement stated.
