The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA has condemned the call by the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu to Anambra people to shun the November 18, 2017 governorship election.
It also advised the IPOB Leader to drop his “ emperor” perception of himself and “humble himself to the true leadership of Ndi Igbo for a proper and better articulation of the Biafran struggle”
In a letter to Mr. Kanu and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ifeatu Obiokoye, APGA described the call as irresponsible and lacks intellectual focus.
It said the IPOB leader had no authority to speak for the Igbos of the South East, though the party said it acknowledges him as the leader of the IPOB. The party said Biafra’s concept was a metaphor for the demand of equity and fairplay in the Nigeria state and not a separate movement.
The party said Kanu’s boycott of elections in the South East beginning with the governorship election scheduled for November 18, 2017 in Anambra is irresponsible, irredentist and totally devoid of focus.
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Part of the letter reads “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,” it said.
APGA said it supports restructuring and implementation of the 2014 National Conference resolutions, because it is a certain way to peaceful co-existence among ethnic nationalities and for dousing tension.
It told Kanu not be carried away by the success of the May 30 sit at home call, which was largely attributed to many reasons, including fear.
It reminded the IPOB leader 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)