PRESS STATEMENT-22/07/2017

ANAMBRA 18^TH NOVEMBER GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION AND CALL FOR REFERENDUM: CG-IPOB POSITION

It has become extremely necessary to reaffirm the earlier position taken by the Customary Government of IPOB on Anambra State 18^th November Gubernatorial election and Referendum for the Biafra people. This clarification is, therefore, to put the records straight in view of tension and confusion being generated by the call to boycott elections until a date is fixed for Referendum.

CG-IPOB is led by Rtd Justice Eze Ozobu and Dr Dozie Ikedife with administrative Officers under an Administrator-Engr Anthony Aniebue.CG-IPOB has a well packaged and defined methodology to restore Biafra viz legal, diplomatic and political. It is a known fact to the Nigeria public and the Nigeria Government that CG-IPOB has approached the court on the issue of Biafra self determination with suit no FHC/OW/CS/192/2013 and the legal battle is still ongoing at federal high court ,Owerri.The underlisted prayers are before the honourable court for determination:

1. An Order declaring that the Claimants have the right to self-determination pursuant to Articles 19 – 25, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, and are therefore free to exercise their unquestionable and inalienable right to self-determination to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic and social development according to the policy they have freely chosen.

2. An Order declaring that the ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria are not held as slaves under Section 2(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 and therefore has the right of self-determination to decide their political status by the rule of law.

3. An Order directing the Defendants to comply with the provisions of Article 20 (3) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and consequently give all assistance to the Claimants in the exercise of their right to self-determination for a peaceful conduct of their referendum for independence or for any other political status of their choice.

4. An Order granting judicial protection to the Claimants, their homes, their offices and their correspondences individually and collectively as they exercise their right to self-determination and an Injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents and privies, from interfering, arresting, molesting, intimidating, disturbing, hindering or harassing the Claimants or doing any act or omitting to do any act aimed at frustrating the Claimants’ exercise of their right to self-determination which they have commenced by due process of the law.

It is important to note that while the above historical legal battle is going on,Biafrans still living in Nigeria that believe in CG-IPOB methodology to restore Biafra  are free to actively participate in the economic and political activities in Nigeria as citizens.CG-IPOB has severally met with the Leadership of the Supreme Council of Elders to review her participation in Anambra State Gubernatorial election.It was agreed that any political party that shares the same ideology with CG-IPOB will be supported during the election in line with CG-IPOB political methodology.CG-IPOB believes that Biafrans should elect good men and women into positions of political position(s) even as we are still in Nigeria.

On the issue of referendum, it should be noted that referendum is a political process which takes rigorous stages and processes.CG-IPOB has activated her hydra- headed strategies to secure the supports of powerful nations and as we write, our lobby groups are at work. For obvious diplomatic reasons, certain sensitive issues are treated with every confidentiality.

CG-IPOB believes that Nnamdi Kanu has not violated any known law by directing his followers under his command to boycott Anambra State 18^th Nov election by sitting at home.Perhaps, that could be his own approach to draw the attention of the international communities.However,CG-IPOB is worried that such directive to his followers might lead to an assumption that IPOB is representing the interest of all the pro Biafra agitators. This could be misleading as some overzealous agitators might start using threat to enforce compliance or obstruct the legitimate activities of those who are not in agreement with the name Biafra or separating from Nigeria. We must never in any way or form whether through body language,action or utterances give impression that Biafra represent war or violence .We must prove to even the blind that we are governable and peaceful people.We must convince all the parties that Biafra is our indigenous identity and that the ideology of Biafra is freedom,equity,fairness and justice .There is nothing wrong with electing one of our own to put Biafra ideology to work even before the restoration of Biafra.

Finally, we are expected to explore the democratic window to deepen our collective heart desire for our indigenous identity –Biafra through townhall engagement(s). CG-IPOB shall continue to pursue the restoration of Biafra via local and international laws as nobody kills an ideology.

Ndubuisi Anaenugwu

Director-Directorate of Information, Customary Government of IPOB

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