As the the 2023 Presidential Elections draw closer, the Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has been called to publicly denounce Biafra, before the forthcoming election.
The charge was given Tuesday by the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council (ICC). ICC gave the charge in a Press Release made available to journalists in Abuja last night said it has observed with utmost concern, the attempts by Obi, to undermine and muddle up facts surrounding the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its affiliated security outfit, called the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The release signed by Director, Media & Publicity Committee, of the Campaign Council, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, noted that at the recently-held Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna, the former Anambra State governor “misinformed the public about the creation of the ESN, stating that it was established by the Governors of the South-Eastern states’.
The release noted that the development did not go down well with the South-East governors who it stated later provided clarifications to correct Obi’s ‘erroneous statement’, and attributed the establishment of the ESN to IPOB – a pro-Biafra group founded by Nnamdi kanu, which in 2017 was designated a terrorist group and proscribed by the Nigerian. Government.
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It noted that the Governors explicitly stated that they were responsible for the formation of the regional security platform called Ebube Agu, and not the ESN-a group also commonly referred to as “unknown gunmen”-which has terrorised the people of the South-East and perpetrated several attacks on the people, while implementing its ‘illegal’ sit-at-home orders.
The ICC however, noted that “the question begging for an answer therefore, is what/who’s interest was Peter Obi protecting when he chose to conceal the true identity of the organisation behind the formation of the notorious ESN”? It further stated that Obi, as a former two-term Governor of Anambra State, is a prominent stakeholder in the affairs of the South-East region and thus, cannot claim ignorance of the facts about the emergence of ESN and the organization responsible for it, “when he made that erroneous assertion in Kaduna.
So, why was Obi economical with the truth, by misinforming and deceiving Nigerians, whilst soliciting for their support? This lends credence to the popular belief held by many Nigerians that Peter Obi is not straightforward, lacks integrity, a closet supporter of Biafra and should not be entrusted with the affairs of a united nation of about 200 million people, most of whom do not share the undemocratic and violent disposition of the pro-Biafra proponents”.
It noted that “it will be recalled, that Peter Obi had also shown undue sympathy for IPOB, despite it being a proscribed organisation. Obi has publicly expressed his close affinity to IPOB members, describing them as people whom he meets with”. “It is imperative for Obi to be reminded that no one is above the law and ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
The Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, prohibits anyone from attending meetings of a prohibited entity or organisation, such as IPOB. “The penalty on conviction for such an offence is imprisonment for a term of not less than 20 years. Peter Obi has by his conduct and utterances, proven to be lawless, and highly unprepared for the office he wants to occupy”.
The therefore, stated it expects “Obi to address the concerns about his close affiliation with the pro-Biafra agitators by publicly denouncing Biafra and dissociating himself completely from the weekly Monday sit-at-home Biafran order”.
Continuing, it stressed that “If Peter Obi is truly in support of a united and prosperous Nigeria, he should quit diverting attention from the insecurity being perpetrated by IPOB and its ESN in his geo-political region and begin to categorically call out those behind the crimes and condemn their criminal activities publicly”. “He must denounce the group and the undemocratic ideas it represents, and stand with the Nigerian masses by unequivocally calling out the Biafra agitators for their unlawful and condemnable violations of the fundamental rights to life and freedom of movement of innocent people residing in the South-East region of Nigeria”.
