…We want freedom for Nnamdi Kanu, other Biafrans – IPOB
…ADC Chairman calls for dialogue
…Conducting election now unacceptable, Dan Nwanyanwu
OBIORA IFOH, Abuja , CYPRIAN EBELE, Onitsha, Pamela Eboh Awka
Barely one week to the Anambra state gubernatorial election slated for 6 November, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has at a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP rally in Onitsha, said despite alleged threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB to scuttle the exercise, the poll was unstoppable .
Urging a mammoth crowd of PDP faithful at the event held at Ezechima Primary School, along Awka road, to vote for Chief Val Ozigbo, the PDP flag bearer, Abaribe recalled that he signed for the bail of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu when he was earlier detained.
His words,”whoever tells you there will not be any election come November 6 in Anambra state tell that person no, there will be election. Don’t vote for RUGA people, don’t vote for those who want to rule Anambra from under or through the back door” he pleaded .
He reminded the people that since the inception of the state no
governor had performed more than former governor Peter Obi, adding that Ozigbo would restore the lost glory of the state.
Speaking, former governor Peter Obi said that his achievements were still there for all to see hinting that those multiple achievements in Onitsha were made possible through their daughter, Mrs Azuka Enemo, Deputy Governorship candidate to Ozigbo.
He said that, “Ozigbo will continue with my zeal to better Anambra and rebuild what has been destroyed by the present administration only if you vote for him and PDP”
In his speech, Ozigbo stated that he has been tasked to wear Obi’s big shoe adding that with the cooperation of his Deputy, Enemo, it would not be over size for him.
“I know I want to enter into a big shoe but with Enemo we will make it. We are not happy with the bad infrastructural condition of the state coupled with insecurity, killings, kidnapping, among others and healthcare decay. We have to change the state, there should be functional river port and good road network” he stated.
In her speech, Enemo hinted that it was only Ozigbo that has remembered Onitsha by picking her as deputy and pleaded for votes to herself and Ozigbo.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has debunked a statement that it called for the boycott of November 6, Anambra gubernatorial election.
Disclosing this in a statement Thursday, the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful advised media houses to be factual in the reportage.
The group stated that its position in the political sphere has nothing to do with the forthcoming Anambra election.
The group equally berated Nigerian politicians, warning them to leave the group out of their predicaments.
Clarifying its statement, the group said: “that the entire Biafra land would be locked down from November 5 to November 10, 2021 if by November 4 the federal government fails to release our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally.
“Our position has nothing to do with Anambra election. All we need is the release of our Leader who committed no crime to be held perpetually in custody. We have gathered through intelligence the plot by Nigeria Government to keep our leader in detention perpetually through frivolous court adjournments.”
The full statement reads:“The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great and indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU wishes to clarify that contrary to speculations and blackmail, IPOB has never made any official statement or called for the boycott of Anambra State gubernatorial election coming on 6th of November 2021.
It will therefore be wrong for people to speculate or peddle falsehood against us when there is no basis for such.
“For the sake of clarity, what we said was that the entire Biafra land would be locked down from November 5 to November 10, 2021 if by November 4 the federal government fails to release our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. Our position has nothing to do with Anambra election.
“All we need is the release of our Leader who committed no crime to be held perpetually in custody. We have gathered through intelligence the plot by Nigeria Government to keep our leader in detention perpetually through court adjournments.
“Politicians must leave IPOB out of their predicaments. They should stop dragging IPOB into their election. We knew their evil plans when they were killing their fellow politicians and blaming it on IPOB. They should leave us alone.
“We urge media houses to be objective in their reportage and cross check their facts. IPOB has never at any time called for boycott of Anambra election. Media houses should stop publishing lies against us.”
However,the National Chairman of African Democratic Congress, ADC, Dr Okey Nwosu has called on the Federal Government to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu
Nwosu who spoke at the official campaign kick off in Awka described dialogue as the option during a secession crusade saying that his release is the panacea for a peaceful election in Anambra state.
He said, “There is nothing wrong with dialogue. You dont need to cancel dialogue completely..
The national chairman described the party’s theme of Umunna Revolution as a culture ADC will inculcate if it wins election come November 6.
According to him, the party’s candidate picked the theme as a way to run an all invlusive government that will lead to strengthening of the system and brotherliness as well as prosperity in families.
In his address, the Director Media and Strategy, Dr Harris Chuma-Odili, suggested for the IPOB leader to be released on bail while not stalling his trial process.
He maintained that Kanu’s release would not only eliminate the palpable tension in the region, but would help for a peaceful election of the next governor of Anambra State.
Chuma-Odili added, “I want to use this opportunity to call for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention so we can have our election peacefully, our people are not happy that they are still keeping him.
“I don’t know why they’re keeping him and I don’t think there is anything wrong in granting him bail, they should grant him bail and continue the trial with good suretees to guarantee his presence in court on next adjourned date.
“It is not a big deal to allow him a breath of fresh air so that we can go into this election without the palpable fear that is in the air. Igbo’s are speaking in one voice now. We are not happy that he is still being incarcerated and an election is about to be held.”
He said the party has sampled the idea of “Umunna Revolution” as a new style of leadership, saying that it is widely accepted.
On his part, the Secretary of the party, Engr Anthony Egbo enjoined Anambra people to embrace the “Umunna Revolution”as a new norm in politics, saying that it cuts across religion, leadership, equality, among others
Meanwhile, with the determination of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to go ahead with the governorship election in Anambra State in spite of the mounting insecurity in the state, the Commission has been advised to have a rethink as the exercise may record a colossal set back in the progress made so far in electoral records in Nigeria.
National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu in a statement on Thursday said any election held under a militarised and tensed atmosphere can only produce an unpopular governor whose emergence will be aided by low voter turn out and election results manipulation.
The IPOB had called for ‘sit at home’ between 5th and 10th November across all the South-East states if its leader Nnamdi Kanu is not released by November 4. This announcement is believed was made to ensure that the governorship election in Anambra State is boycotted.
Though, Anambra State has witnessed heightened security breaches leading to assassination and kidnapping of high profile personalities but both INEC and security agencies have assured a heavy security presence in the state to ensure the state is safe for the electorate to perform their civic duty.
But Chief Nwanyanwu insists that the election could still hold at a later date to make way for further peace efforts rather than going ahead with the exercise, the end which he said can only be predictable.
He said, “I raised the proposal that we should tarry awhile, that we don’t want people to die, that even INEC, we don’t want your staff to die. Shooting and killing people is no longer an issue, it is nothing as far as South East is concerned. He is an Igbo, Kill him.
“The constitution provides for election to hold for certain period before the end of a tenure, we can push it up to that point but lets even push it further, and I made that point that we are in a special circumstance that will warranty and guaranty our being safe in tarrying a while. Assuming without conceding that we got to a point that even the election would not be held beyond the constitutional provision, are we going to cut our nose to spite our face?
“Those are such special circumstances that the state assembly will take a position on what to do. You cannot when people are being killed recklessly on the street even by security agencies and you said you should come and vote. They will not come out. Then you will have an unpopular governor. I am talking about coming out to vote, I am not talking about the result that would be written. If it is voting, you may not have 50,000 voters in the 21 local governed areas in Anambra.
“You can see the situation with ad hoc staff, there is no guarantee they will be safe. We are putting 35,000 policemen and these figures, it is just there, go to the state that day, in some of the polling booths, you will not see one policeman in some of these booths. It is just within the town and few local governments.
“But the havoc is mostly done outside the periphery of the state capital. The police is over stretched, police cannot do beyond its capacity. Poor training, even lack of arms. When police is suppose to have a huge allocation to take care of the security, instead of doing that, we are bringing the army. In other climes, you don’t see the army.”
Nwanyanwu also said that though INEC has been ready for that election but INEC doesn’t control the security. “I will only appeal to Anambra people to come out and vote and also appeal to the security agencies not to harass and intimidate the people that will be coming out to vote, because the report we are getting, of unprovoked behaviour of some of these security agencies, not only in Anambra but in the SouthEast will mar the election.
“So, in the President giving his directives, he should be firm and clear in giving an unambiguous statement as to what is expected of them. We want a free and fair process, we want Anambra people to exercise their franchise, let them exercise their right to chose without interference, because this election is very very important. If the proper person is elected, it will change Anambra from what it has be
