As the candidates and the political parties round off their campaigns for the November 18, 2017 (next Saturday) Governorship Election in Anambra State, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on the likely effect of the renewed boycott threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
SINCE South-East governors, Igbo elders and other political leaders moved in to douse the initial tension created by the boycott threat issued by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in August, observers have looked forward to a hitch-free governorship election in Anambra State on Saturday, November 18, 2017.
But barely a week to the election, the group, which was recently outlawed, had renewed the threat, saying that it will continue with the boycott. In a statement on Friday, Emma Powerful, the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, said the planned boycott “will benefit not just the Biafrans but Nigerians as well.”
Following the statement, which sources said was circulated, there is concern that the renewed call for boycott of the election may affect turnout of voters.
Powerful, in the statement had said, “the leadership and family members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, do hereby call on every Biafran, both home and abroad, particularly indigenes and friends of our brothers and sisters living in Biafraland to prepare for the total boycott and lock down of Anambra State on Saturday next week being the 18th November 2017.”
On why the group would want to boycott the governorship election, he said, “It is also very critical to inform every Biafran, be you IPOB family member, businessman, farmer, artisan, driver, teacher, doctor, Okada/Tricycle Union, civil servant, trader, market leader, LUBAN, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), NILODAS, fisherman, market men and women, including politicians who believe in freedom and liberty of a free independent State of Biafra, to boycott this Anambra State election. The successful boycott of this coming election will convey in unequivocal terms, our never say die determination and resolve to restore Biafra at all cost. This Anambra election boycott will give our agitation unprecedented global momentum that would move world leaders to accept the inevitable democratic and peaceful break-up of Nigeria. They will be morally bound to consider a possible date for Biafra referendum for independence without delay. A vote in Anambra elections will mean electing into office the same people who over the years have been responsible for the death, pain, misery, agony and suffering of our people. We would have only succeeded in renewing our suffering for another four years.”
“We IPOB recognise the suffering of other ethnic groups all over Nigeria and would genuinely wish their humiliation and difficulties to be brought to an end. We want every ethnic group in Nigeria to be free from the bondage of colonial amalgamation imposed on everybody. Therefore, it would be desirable for those championing for true change to embrace this act of civil disobedience championed by IPOB to liberate all oppressed people in Nigeria. If every component part of Nigeria were to adopt total election boycott, power will return to the people and things will change for the better for everybody,” he said.
According to him, “as long as we keep voting the same band of criminals into political positions every four years, things will never change because they are taking us for granted. They know that no matter how poorly they treat us, once, every four years we shall return them to power with the help of INEC. Suffering, hardship, poverty, suicide and hopelessness will continue to be on the rise unless we take our destiny on our hands and this election boycott is a golden opportunity to send a clear unmistakable message to the corrupt establishment that things can no longer go on this way. The power to force a change through is in our own hands. If you vote, you have handed over that power to INEC to declare whoever they want as the winner. Voting under the present corrupt electoral system in Nigeria superintended by INEC is willful slavery. The same criminals will continue to emerge to inflict more misery upon the majority.”
He also said “IPOB is not pushing for an independent Biafra state to spite any tribe or group of persons but rather to provide a chance for decent living, under liberty and freedom, for Biafran generations unborn.”
It would be recalled that it was sometime in July this year, before the encounter during the military’s Python Dance in Umuahia and Aba, that the pro-Biafran group leader, Nnamdi Kanu, first declared his group’s resolve to boycott Anambra State’s governorship election.
He made the declaration at Isiama Afara-Ukwu Ibeku Umuahia, the Abia State capital, while addressing IPOB members in his father’s palace.
Efforts to ensure hitch-free election
Since Kanu’s original call, there have been reactions from major stakeholders, including governors of the South-East states who proscribed the activities of IPOB and Igbo elders like Ohanaeze, who have so far taken different actions to ensure Anambra election holds without any unfortunate scene. The military, on its part, raided the palace of Kanu’s father’s palace in Umuahia as part of its Python Dance event, an action some said was aimed at silencing IPOB and other agitators once and for all.
Following this renewed call, it remains to be seen how far previous and current actions would go to ensure a hitch-free governorship election in Anambra State. It would be recalled that in August, barely a month after the initial threat, various groups of Igbo elders held meetings with Kanu and after those meetings, there were conflicting reports over the status of the boycott threat. While some reports quoted Kanu as withdrawing the boycott threat, others denied such withdrawal. For example, after a meeting with Ala Igbo Development Foundation in Owerri, the Imo State capital, attended by Kanu, President of the foundation, Professor Uzodimma Nwala, said, “As you see in our midst, you see our brother Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we have come to discuss the issue of mutual concern, especially on Anambra election. We are happy he is here with us…We are meeting for the first time and will still meet again. No decision has been taken.”
That same day however, an online medium quoted Darlington Chukwubuikem Okolie, identified as the media aide to Kanu, as denying claims that Kanu had withdrawn his threats. He said: “Whoever said that [there has been a shift in IPOB’s position] is telling lies. There will be no election in Anambra. There is nothing anybody can do about this.”
Considering the dare consequences of such action, Igbo leaders and other stakeholders have, since then, sought means of ensuring a successful November 18 election. They therefore urged Kanu and other IPOB leaders to drop their election boycott threat.
For example, leaders in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, under the aegis of Idemili North Leaders of Thought, late August appealed to Kanu to rescind his call for the boycott of the November 18 governorship election in the state.
In a communique issued at the end of a meeting in Onitsha then, signed by their Chairman, Dr. Boniface Agbala, they said “by boycotting the election, Ndigbo would have become enemies to themselves.”
They also explained to the youths that nobody has any right to stop any national election, except the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC or a court of competent jurisdiction.
The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Igbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on its part, disowned the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and his movement, IPOB.
The President-General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nwodo, announced this while addressing the members of the Anambra State House of Assembly at the Legislative Complex, Awka, Anambra State.
Nwodo said: “I’m just being paternal. The way I commended them as my children, is the way I have the right to chastise them when they go wrong. We don’t need this heating up.
“News that reached us in the past few days that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, has declared that there will be no election in Anambra State in November is shocking and disturbing. I hereby countermand that declaration as President-General of Ohanaeze.”
Voters and renewed boycott threat
As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finalizes last minutes plans towards the Saturday election amidst the renewed call by IPOB, some observers are expressing concern that the development may affect turnout, notwithstanding the fact that over 2.2million people registered for the election and 37 governorship candidates were shortlisted by INEC.
“No matter how you look at it, there is no way such a threat will not affect turn out in the forthcoming election. Some people, who are not IPOB members may simply stay away to be safe. So, we are pleading to all concerned to be mindful of the safety of our people. We do not want any bloodbath here, please,” Chief Uwadinma Udochukwu, said. Also, most of the governorship candidates and party chairmen have called on the electorate not to be afraid but to come out in mass to vote. It remains to be seen how the voters will react to these calls on Saturday.
