The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has urged the general populace, especially those in the South East and South South, to defy any orders to stay at home during the next presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25.
Emma Powerful, the media and publicity secretary for IPOB, stated in a statement that the pro-Biafra movement has not called for any electoral boycotts.
It distanced itself from any individual or organisation allegedly responsible for any election-related sit-at-home directive.
IPOB claimed that those issuing sit-at-home orders were criminals hired by Biafra’s adversaries to demolish Igboland and then accuse IPOB.
The statement read in part, ”The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great and indefatigable liberator Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU warns the unknown mushroom group called Pan Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction Coalition (PANPIEC) to desist from linking this noble movement with the state sponsored criminal gang issuing and enforcing sit-at-home orders to blackmail IPOB and ESN.
“IPOB has no plan or intention to order any sit-at-home during the election period. IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi KANU has never forcefully obstructed the election process in Nigeria.
“Our interest and focus is the release of Mazi Nnamdi KANU and the date for the Biafra referendum for Biafrans to determine their political future in or outside Nigeria.
“We knew that this mushroom group called PANPIEC is among those sponsoring this fake group claiming that they are IPOB issuing and enforcing reckless sit at homes in the East. If they are not their sponsors with the Fulani government of Nigeria, why do they keep linking the paid agents of confusion with us even as IPOB has publicly denounced any link with Simon Ekpa and his collaborators.
“It’s on record and in the public domain that IPOB has not called for any sit-at-home during February elections. It’s also obvious that IPOB and ESN do not have any faction or splinter groups.
“IPOB remains peaceful and indivisible under one command for the liberation of Biafra Nation from the damnable Republic called Nigeria.
“We reiterate for the records that, IPOB has not, did not and will not issue any sit-at-.home order in February during the elections period.
“We also did not call for any boycott of the upcoming elections yet. Nobody should blame or link IPOB to the statements or actions of government agendist operating in the Eastern Region.
“The focus of IPOB is the release from illegal detaintion of our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, whom Appeal Court and other courts have discharged and acquitted since 13th of October 2022, and Biafra Referendum date.
“Therefore, any group claiming to be IPOB while issuing sit-at-home orders are criminals and state sponsored agents and do not represent IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi KANU.”