[EDITORIAL]  Anambra Election And IPoB’s One Week Sit-At-Home Order

The statement in social media credited to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra’s (IPoB) spokesman, Mr. Emma Powerful on Saturday to the effect that IPoB has ordered a one week sit-at-home in all South-East states beginning from November 5 to November 10, 2021 if their leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not released from detention by November 4, is one declaration Nigerian government is not likely to take with kid glove.

That such a threat could be made by IPoB leadership bearing in mind the fact that Anambra State Governorship is November 6, is a clear testimony that the group is prepared to challenge the sovereignty of the Nigerian state and its leadership in a treasonable manner that does not give any credit to them as a people fighting in the overall interest of Ndigbo.

Otherwise, how else could IPoB justify the monumental damage about to be done in Anambra State in particular and Nigeria in general if Anambrarians are not allowed to come out and vote on November 6 governorship election.

No one is saying that IPoB as a group does not have the right to fight for its leader, but doing so must take cognisance of certain basic realities that could be tested in the court of public interest to ascertain if truly certain actions and inactions are justified before God and man.

Nigeria, whether we like it or not, is still a sovereign state governed by the rule of law even though we may not agree that the Rule of Law principle as it operates in our clime falls short of global standard.

The imperfections not withstanding, one should expect that since Nnamdi Kanu is already having his case tried in court and fully represented by a competent team of lawyers, his followers should allow the court process to be followed. If any arbitrariness is observed in the trial process like the embarrassing treatment given to former Governor Chukwuemeke Ezeife and other Kanu supporters during last court session, IPoB lawyers could publicly condemn and challenge such actions of state security agencies who carried out the arbitrary act.

We strongly feel that asking the Federal Government to unconditionally release Kanu through forceful agitation without which there will be no movement in Southeast states for one week is an attempt at seriously breaching the fundamental human rights of South-East residents with respect to freedoms of movement, association, involving in economic activities, voting and being voted etc within the one week the so-called order would last.

If the statement credited to IPoB’s leadership as represented by Emma Powerful is anything to go by, it clearly exposes the fact that the right of all others collectively put together in the Southeast is far less than the right of one man –  Nnamdi Kanu.

Forcing people to close down their businesses which are their means of livelihood for days through sit-at-home order simply because of Kanu, could only help to further polarise the Ndigbo as those negatively affected by the IPoB’s stand would always distance themselves from the Biafran agitation.

Let us specifically talk about how the one week sit-at-home order would negatively affect the November 6 Anambra Election.  For fear that IPoB members may attempt to attack people found in the streets of Anambra beginning from November 5 since it is extremely impossible for the Federal Government to unconditionally release Kanu before November 4, many residents would want to save their lives by not coming out.

As every arrangement has been put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police and other agencies of government towards a hitch free election and presidential declaration that nothing must stop the election from holding, it would amount to shooting one’s foot and losing everything one is trying to build.

By way of explanation, let it be known that so much money in billions has gone into preparations for the election both from individual contestants, their supporters, Anambra State and Federal Governments towards the November 6 election. So, asking people to stay away from coming out to vote for candidates of their choice is tantamount to wastage of the billions, effort and time.

Moreso, doing so in the name of asking for freedom for Nnamdi Kanu would be at variance with the positions of those who are earlier in sympathy with Kanu but are major players in the Anambra Elections  such as Prof. Charles Soludo and other contestants.

Is it not better for IPoB leadership to allow peace reign throughout this period of election by showing solidarity to Anambrarians, winning their confidence and support later, towards the collective agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra in a more civilised manner that would not involve bloodletting as we currently witness.

In the few days before the November 6 election, let IPoB reverse itself and be in sync with the current reality of holding an election for a new Governor to emerge in Anambra State.

That is the national agenda for now and opposing it through illegal order capable of causing a breach of peace is equal to high treason that could further worsen the attempt to release Kanu from detention.