You’re not emperor of S’East, mind your utterances, APGA tells IPOB leader Kanu

The declaration by leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, that people should not participate in the coming Anambra State governorship election has drawn the ire of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The political party described the call as irresponsible and warned him to stop seeing himself as an ’emperor’ of Ndigbo, advising him to humble himself to the true leadership of Ndigbo.

Kanu had while addressing his IPOB members in his home town in Abia State declared that there will not be election in Anambra in November this year and in any South-East states during 2019, general elections.

But in a letter, APGA, the ruling party in Anambra sent to Kanu through the party’s national publicity secretary, Ifeatu Obiokoye, called on the IPOB leader not to be carried away because of the present support agitation for Biafra is receiving among many Igbo people due to injustice meted out on them.

While the party acknowledged him as IPOB leader, it however warned him to understand he has no such power to speak for the region.

According to APGA, what the South-East truly wants is restructuring and implementation of the 2014 National Conference resolutions.

APGA said Kanu’s “call for a boycott of elections in the South-East, beginning with the governorship polls scheduled for November 18, 2017 in Anambra is irresponsible, irredentist and totally devoid of any focus.

“You must appreciate that for different logical reasons and perception, the Biafra concept has attracted favourable comments among our people, ostensibly borne out of the marginalisation of Ndigbo in the Nigerian state.

“While youths of the East are agitating for Biafra, the Arewa youths are equally restive; the same goes for Níger Delta youths and youths from Oduduwa states.

“In this popular agitation for Biafra, Ndigbo have not instituted a separatist movement or a terrorist gang as it were. We are more concerned about the continued existence of Nigeria under the present structural arrangement.”

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Kanu, the party further advised should not allow the success of the May 30 sit-at-home call, which among other reasons including fear, was observed by the people to deceive him.

APGA said that the right to vote and be voted for was a universally declared right under the United Nations Charter of People’s and Citizenship Right, and in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Insisting that Kanu must stop seeing himself as an “emperor” APGA asked him to “humble yourself to the true leadership of Ndigbo for a proper and better articulation of the Biafra struggle”.

 

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