Ex-Niger-Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has expressed his disagreement with Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), over his call for the boycott of the 2019 general elections by the Southeast and South-south region.
Dokubo made his views known in a six minutes video which surfaced on the social media on Monday.
Kanu had over the weekend urged IPOB supporters and sympathizers in the two geopolitical zones to shun the 2019 general election unless the Federal Government announced a date for Biafra referendum.
Reacting to the call, Dokubo argued that heeding Kanu’s advice was suicidal since it would be tantamount to empowering those opposed to the Biafra aspirations with resources from the national treasury to frustrate the people’s struggle.
He went further to point out that pro-independent agitators in Spain, Ireland and Palestine contested elections and won seats into political offices in a bid to push their agenda rather than boycott general elections in their respective nations.
His words: “Fellow Biafrans and compatriots, our goal is the freedom of our motherland. It is not about the celebration and deification of individuals. It is not about the appropriation of our collective struggle by an individual, group of individuals or an organisation. The Biafra struggle is for the freedom of all Biafrans.
“But we have to clear some misconceptions. These misconceptions is that people who are fighting for freedom do not get involved in political participations.
“Let us come to the touching issue of election boycott. It is standing history on its head to say that we should boycott elections.
“In Catalan, the pro-Catalan independent party is contesting election even after the imperialists Spanish government dissolved (Catalan) parliament and government and cancelled elections. But they still contested and won election and are in power.
“The pro-independent Scottish party is contesting election; they continue to contest election and control the government of Scotland.
“The pro-independent Northern Ireland Party, the Irish Republican Army thought its political wing is contesting elections.
“Hamas who are pro-independent parties or organization in Palestine are contesting elections.
“How can you give resources to empower the hands of the enemies of our struggle? I am not from Anambra state but if we had gone to vote in Anambra, Obiano would not be there (as governor).
“Obiano is an enemy of our people. Today he has sold our land to General Muhammadu Buhari or his double that is in Aso Rock because I do not believe the man in Aso Rock is General Muhammadu Buhari.
“When people tell us the truth, we don’t want to accept. We want to impose our will which is not working and is anti-our people.
“We frighten our people, run away from soldiers, we run away from occupation forces, we run away from police. Why would we do that? Who are we deceiving?
“Finally, no outsider can give us freedom. They have not done it anywhere. It is we, with our own show of valour and commitment, can give is freedom.”
