By NewsBits
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has debunked the rumour that it planned to scuttle the 2023 general elections, insisting that its members have no interest whatsoever in the polls.
IPOB which stated this in a press release issued Monday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, dissociated itself from attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Imo State.
The pro-Biafra movement urged Nigerian security agencies to stop linking it with the senseless attacks on INEC facilities. IPOB promised hard times for anybody engaging in destruction of INEC facilities and pretending to be doing so on behalf of the pro-Biafra movement.
“ESN operatives never attacked INEC office because we are not interested in this Nigeria’s forthcoming election in 2023. Anyone or group blaming IPOB or ESN for any attack on INEC facilities is under the influence of some powerful drugs.
“IPOB will not spare anybody using our name to disrupt election, and nobody should link us with those who are destroying election materials.”
IPOB accused security agencies of hoarding information about the true identities of those behind the attacks on INEC facilities. IPOB challenged the security agencies on why no arrests had been made of the purported attackers if they were truly IPOB members.
“Both Government agencies and those attacking INEC facilities are working together to blackmail IPOB. That is why the same security agencies have never arrested any of the so-called attackers.
“Our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has said it several times that he has not asked anyone to carry out any attack on his behalf. Therefore, nobody should link us with the attack on INEC offices.
“IPOB is a civilized and disciplined Biafra Independence movement. We are not criminals, nor are we part of their election thugs.”
IPOB accused politicians of recruiting criminals and hoodlums “to attack election materials and blame it on IPOB and ESN.”
The statement, however, said that no amount of sponsored blackmail against IPOB would stop the agitation for Biafra restoration, adding that it will rather fuel the agitation.
According to the statement, the desperation to link IPOB with attacks on INEC is part of the grand plan by those opposed to Biafra restoration to truncate the project.
The statement made available to newsmen further read: “Neither IPOB nor ESN operatives have anything to do with Nigeria fraud elections in 2023. We have never supported nor involved ourselves in any election obstruction or violence as a movement. The only actions we can take is to call our people to boycott voting if the need arises. But as of today, IPOB is not interested in Nigeria and its electoral activities and have never asked anyone to carry out any attack on our behalf.
“For the Nigeria Government and her Police to link IPOB and ESN with the attacks on INEC offices has shown that they are misguided, deceitful, and don’t know the norms on which IPOB operates.”
“Nigeria Government and her security agencies are working day and night to blackmail IPOB self-determination movement. Criminals attack government facilities and they rush to media to blame the attacks on IPOB and ESN without investigation. There has never been anytime that Nigeria Police carried out any public inquiry on all the numerous attacks and arsons that they blamed IPOB for.”
