Asari-led Biafran group tackles IPOB, describes order as criminal

The leader of the De-facto Customary Government of Biafra has insisted the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra will hold as INEC scheduled it, in spite of rival IPOB order of a sit-at-home protest from Nov 5.

The Head of Information and Communication, Uche Okafor-Mefor, described the IPOB threat as criminal.

Asari and IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, formerly collaborators, went their separate ways months before Kanu was bundled home from Kenya four years after jumping bail in Nigeria.

Since then, IPOB and its rival group have been waging verbal war against each other.

“The government of Biafra hereby declares as follows; the hydra-headed government believes absolutely in the sanctity of human life – the protection of lives in the Biafran territory – and therefore condemns in no uncertain terms the ongoing wanton destruction of lives and properties in Biafraland by both state and non-state actors irrespective of their motives,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

“That the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra extols the democratic ethos for which Biafrans are known and as such declares support for the people of Biafra to exercise their democratic rights to vote and be voted for in Biafraland in the current and future elections.

“That in line with this pronouncement, the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra affirms that elections in Anambra State and elsewhere in Biafraland must hold by the extant laws; that any boycott of the Anambra elections and others elsewhere remains fruitless, counterproductive and would be incapable of invalidating the electoral process because a winner must emerge eventually by the circumstances strongly urged to go out and vote for the preferred candidates of their choices.

“That the continued violent campaign for the boycott of elections and other ancillary unethical conducts which are inimical to the advancement of the Biafran cause are subsequently frowned at and as such must be discouraged forthwith.

“That the proponents of this self-annihilating strategy must be reminded that in reality, the best way to be in control of political power is by engaging and by going through the democratic process itself or they will otherwise and in effect be aiding and abating the same Fulani-controlled Nigerian state to all the more heavily militarise Biafraland, impose a state of emergency, kill more Biafrans, ultimately rig the elections and fraudulently install their stooges.”

IPOB is threatening with the protest because its leader Nnamdi Kanu is not released yet, as he resumed standing trial for terrorism and treason.

The federal government claims through his speeches and leadership, IPOB has been killing government officials and perceived enemies.