The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it did not call for a boycott of the Anambra governorship election.
According to The Cable, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful stated that the group did not call for a boycott and has not requested that anyone impose a sit-in order.
The group stated that it was primarily concerned with the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. He was arrested in Kenya on June 30 and has since been in detention. He has pleaded not guilty to the 7 amended charges preferred against him by the Federal Government.
“The priority of IPOB is to secure the unconditional release of our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been illegally detained since his rendition to Nigeria. All we said was that if by November 4 those who abducted, renditioned and illegally detained him fail to release him unconditionally, Biafrans shall embark on civil disobedience from November 5 to November 10.
Though the proposed actions of IPOB fall within the window of the state gubernatorial polls, it added that; “We are not concerned if anyone wishes to participate or not to participate in the Anambra election. But our only advice to Ndi Anambra especially those contemplating to vote is to be very careful about their security”.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, has since arrived in Anambra to “plan for a safe election.”