*No sit-at-home in February, Kanu’s faction insists
*Say their focus is for Kanu to be released
Internal crises within the two factions of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has assumed ferocious dimension as the leader of the group, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has asked members of the public, particularly residents of South-East and South-South, to ignore any sit-at-home order during the forthcoming February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Kanu’s IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that the pro-Biafra movement had not ordered any boycott of the election.
It dissociated itself from any person or group behind any purported sit-at-home order during the elections, especially the Simon Ekpa faction which ordered people to stay away from the elections.
IPOB described those issuing sit-at-home order on the election day as “criminals sponsored by the enemies of Biafra to destroy Igbo land and blame it on IPOB”.
The statement made reads in part: ”The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu, warns the unknown mushroom group called Pan Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction Coalition (PANPIEC), to desist from linking this noble movement with the state sponsored criminal gang issuing and enforcing sit-at-home orders to blackmail IPOB and ESN.
“IPOB has no plan or intention to order any sit-at-home during the election period.
“IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi KANU has never forcefully obstructed the election process in Nigeria.
“Our interest and focus is the release of Mazi Nnamdi KANU and the date for Biafra referendum for Biafrans to determine their political future in or outside Nigeria.
“We knew that this mushroom group called PANPIEC is among those sponsoring this fake group claiming that they are IPOB issuing and enforcing reckless sit at homes in the East.
“If they are not their sponsors with the Fulani government of Nigeria, why do they keep linking the paid agents of confusion with us even as IPOB has publicly denounced any link with Simon Ekpa and his collaborators.
“It’s on record and in the public domain that IPOB has not called for any sit-at-home during February elections. It’s also obvious that IPOB and ESN do not have any faction or splinter groups.
”IPOB remains peaceful and indivisible under one command for the liberation of Biafra Nation from the damnable Republic called Nigeria.
“We reiterate for the records that, IPOB has not, did not and will not issue any sit-at-.home order in February during the elections period.
“We also did not call for any boycott of the upcoming elections yet. Nobody should blame or link IPOB to the statements or actions of government agendist operating in the Eastern Region.
“The focus of IPOB is the release from illegal detaintion of our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, whom Appeal Court and other courts have discharged and acquitted since 13th of October 2022, and Biafra Referendum date.
“Therefore, any group claiming to be IPOB while issuing sit-at-home orders are criminals and state sponsored agents and do not represent IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi KANU.”
The Simon Ekpa faction has been issuing sit-at-home order and using its foot soldiers to enforce such across the South-East zone.
The Nnamdi Kanu faction had severally dissociated itself from the series of aprons against the facilities and property of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), especially in the South-East.
