IPOB announces no sit-at-home for February 2023 elections poll

As Nigerians prepare for the 2023 general elections, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said it will not issue any sit-at-home order during the poll. 

In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, Thursday said IPOB has no plan or intention to order any sit-at-home during the election period. 

The group further warned a group, Pan Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction Coalition (PANPIEC), to stop linking IPOB with the enforcement of sit-at-home orders for blackmail purposes. 

“IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has never forcefully obstructed the election process in Nigeria. Rather, we once called Biafrans to boycott elections, which was later called off. 

“We have maintained that we don’t have any interest in the Nigeria shambolic political selection process called Nigeria elections scheduled for February 2023. 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, why do they keep linking the paid Agents of confusion with us even as IPOB have 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 Republic called Nigeria.

“We reiterate for the records  that, IPOB have 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. 

“The focus of IPOB is the release from illegal detention 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,” the statement said.