THE controversial factional leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Simon Ekpa, based in Finland, has been issuing threats that elections would not hold in the South East region unless the leader of IPoB, Mazi Nnamadi Kanu, being detained by the Federal Government despite court orders in his favour, is released. This is a legitimate and welcome demand from Ekpa. Ndigbo as whole want to see Kanu released.
However, Ekpa’s call is suspicious because of his antecedents. Ekpa, it seems, believes in violence as the only tool to achieve Biafra. This is evident in the violence that trailed all the sit-at-home he declared. His group, autopilot seems to be populated by criminals who unleash mayhem on their people at any slightest signal from him
That is why a trending rumour that a rich and powerful politician running for the presidency has given him millions of dollars to disrupt the election activities in the South East region is not being ignored.
It is suspected that he will call for sit-at-home in the election weeks to instill fear on the people and thwart the election in the region for the good of his alleged paymasters. Ndigbo are ready to participate actively in the election and are taking various proactive measures to counter any plot by Ekpa or anybody else to disrupt the election.
Elections’ll hold in Igbo land in 2023 — Ohanaeze
As part of the arrangement to ensure that the coming elections hold in Igbo land against the plot by Ekpa and his cohorts to sabotage it, the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, met recently and deliberated on some strategies to ensure that elections hold in the South East. At the meeting, Iwuanyanwu was mandated by eminent Igbo to meet with the South East Governors led by Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and other critical stake holders in the zone with a view of ensuring peace during the elections.
In the words of the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbonnia: “I am very optimistic that the strategies outlined will achieve the desired result. It was agreed that some youths in the South East who have not keyed into the ongoing wind of change in the country will be engaged and enlightened on the benefits the South East stands to derive from the 2023 general elections. So, I am confident that with time, the youths will see reasons for the election to hold.
“Another reason that bolsters my confidence in the success of the election is that Mr. Peter Obi has shown capacity, sagacity, vision, competence, track record of accomplishments, ingenuity and detribalized patriotic dispositions. These are the Obi contagious characteristics that with time more people will be gravitated to him. In other words, the Obi charisma, hope, followership and support are the major countervailing force that will ultimately overwhelm the current encumbrances.”
Govs, monarchs, town unions should provide enough security for the elections —Ezeife
Igbo elder and former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, is very hopeful that elections would hold in all Igbo land and he has tasked both governors, the traditional rulers, town union leaders and village heads to ensure adequate security for a hitch-free elections.
“We are very much aware that some enemies of Ndigbo are working round the clock to disrupt the 2023 general elections because they know that if the exercise is allowed to go on unhindered, it will end in favour of Peter Obi of the Labour Party; but if they scuttle it, confusion will envelop the country and only themselves know what they stand to benefit from such confusion.
“Therefore, it is imperative for our governors, traditional rulers and town union leaders to ensure adequate mobilization of their various vigilante operatives to complement the efforts of security agencies in providing adequate security throughout the election days”.
The President-General of Aborji Akanano Union, Oba, Idemili South council, Anambra State, Nze Dozie Nweke, said his community has been fortified with adequate security network to ensure that elections in the area take place in a peaceful atmosphere.
Simon Ekpa is a paid agent for continued insecurity in S-East—Prof. Igwe
An academia and Professor of Political Science, Obasi Igwe was bitter with the activities of Simon Ekpa, describing him as an agent paid to ruin Igbo land. He alleged that Ekpa was paid by the federal government and some powerful politicians to ensure that the sinister insecurity and state-sponsored terrorism in the region festers.
Prof. Igwe however urged the sponsors of both known Fulani herdsmen and unknown gunmen to give peace a chance and “stop further orchestrated atrocities and allow the Igbo to peacefully join other Nigerians and participate in the elections”.
“Simon Ekpa is almost certainly a 100% agent of the state here, abroad or both; he is in their payroll to help them continue to build a sinister case for a continued state-sponsored insecurity and chaos in the East, to enable them rig the elections through a fear-induced minimized participation among Easterners.
“The Igbo are eager to participate in the elections and resume their relatively peaceful lives deliberately destroyed by federal “kinetics.
Simon Ekpa must retrace his steps”, Igwe said.
Kanu’s release’ll end Simon Ekpa’s unpopular threats
The national vice president of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, in his reaction, cautioned that the coming elections should not be toyed with because the South East has an opportunity to make a statement.
“Is it only when all of us perish that the President will understand the feelings of Igbo people? Every Igbo man has pleaded with him to seek for a political solution in the Nnamdi Kanu’s matter. The case is before the court and Ohanaeze is not the judge. We have made several moves to ensure Kanu is released, but we can’t sit as a judge in the court.
“The only thing we want to remind the Federal Government is that the cost of all these have been heavy on us. We are losing lives and property. If they can close their eyes and release him, tension will come down and it is the solution to all these insecurities in the South East.
“So, we are pleading with the President to take the bold step. We still plead with the President to restore peace and security in the South East by releasing Kanu”, Okeke-Ogene appealed.
Uzodimma reads riot act
Worried by the rising insecurity leading to horrible killings in Imo State, the Governor, Hope Uzodimma has said he would employ a new, forceful approach to fight the menace. He decried a situation where Igbo have turned weapons against one another, using the wisdom God gave them for destruction, instead of building.
The governor warned that it will not augur well if coming elections are not conducted in Igbo land, and vowed to do everything possible to encourage and persuade Imo people and Igbo, in general, to participate actively in the elections
You can’t get Biafra by killing your brothers—MASSOB
Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, the pioneer agitators for Biafra, condemned the gruesome murder of innocent people by the enemies of Ndigbo and wondered why some Igbo youths offer themselves to be used by people who don’t mean well for them.
MASSOB National Director of Information Comrade Edeson Samuel said “the killings are no longer agitation for Biafra, because you cannot be killing your brothers and sisters in the name of Biafra.
“It is evil and abomination in Igbo land for one to kill his own brother or sister, no matter the reason. Even when they don’t believe in Biafra with you, you don’t have to kill them.
“MASSOB’s stand on Biafra agitation remains sacrosanct but you can’t get Biafra by killing your people because they belong to one political party or the other. You can gain their support through sensitization and not by coercion. MASSOB wishes to make it clear that these killer squads are working against Igbo interest, or have been paid by our enemies to destroy Ala Igbo”.
A commentator on social media did not spare Simon Ekpa, describing him as “a useless dancer”.
“He is dancing for the groups that are paying him and wants to scuttle the chances of Peter Obi in South East. He plants his evil men who share his blood money in many Igbo group platforms who help in spreading his evil messages. But his cup is full, his sponsors and his foot soldiers should take note or pay huge price for their stupidity.
“I am appealing to all well meaning Igbo and our educated elites to start now and use the instrumentality of social media and every other means of spreading information to enlighten our people to resist the satanic agenda of Simon Ekpa to drastically reduce Peter Obi’s vote in the South East through his reckless and devilish sit-at-home activities which he intend to declare on the election week. This is the best opportunity of the Igbo nation to be part of the Nigerian project. It will be a shame and a curse to the Igbo nation that other tribes in Nigeria are killing themselves and doing everything for our son Peter Obi to emerge the President and we are the ones trying to scuttle it through the nonsense activities of one Finland- based opportunist called Simon Ekpa and his collaborators in the name of fighting for Biafra. Igbo do not be deceived.”
Kanu’s release’ll restore peace to S-East —ASETU
Contributing, the National President of the Association of South East Town Unions, ASETU, Chief Emeka Diwe, said the release of the leader of the IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, will restore peace in the South East zone.
Diwe urged the federal government to obey the order of the court to release Kanu. He noted that most of the groups claiming responsibility for the crisis in the South East said they are doing it because of the detention of the IPoB leader and urged the federal government to release Kanu and see if peace will return to the South East.
“The federal government should release Nnamdi Kanu, at least based on the pronouncement of the court. What will it cost them to release Kanu especially when the court has ordered his release? It will cost the government nothing to release Kanu.
“My question is: Is the Buhari government enjoying the killings of people and the insecurity in the South East by the continued detention of the IPoB leader? What will it cost the federal government to release Kanu if they are not enjoying the situation? People are being killed daily and the federal government is not even bothered.
“If the federal government is not enjoying the killings, then, they should release Kanu. The Association of South East Town Unions is asking Buhari to fulfill his promise. We operate at the grassroots and we are the people who bear the brunt of the raging insecurity in the South East”. communities”, Diwe lamented.
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