Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha 

A pro-Biafra group, Awake Defend Action Movement (ADAM), has accused the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, of deceiving many Igbo not to have Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) following his call for boycott of elections.

The group said the action of Kanu was regrettable as millions of Biafrans will not vote despite the call-off of the boycott, because they were deceived and intimidated not to register, while some who registered did not collect their PVCs because they were asked not to participate in Nigeria’s elections.  

A statement by the Chairman of ADAM, Nubuisi Igwekani (Agu Biafra), and its secretary, Chief James Ekpo, said between 2016 and 2019, they have lost not less than 50 boys while many are languishing in police cells across the country.

“We, hereby, state our position towards 2019 general elections, that we are biafrans presently living in Nigeria, like other tribes. We will never allow our enemies to determine our future, that is why we always call our members to fully participate in elections to enable us elect those who share same ideology with us, while we are, also, making effort in actualisation of Biafra.

“We, hereby, disagree with recent press release by Nnamdi Kanu, where he said he had reached agreement with the Federal Government that all the requests presented to the government have been signed and sealed,  therefore, the call for election boycott called off.

“He  has ended up causing millions of our people not to have their PVCs by deceiving and intimidating them to back out, only to call off the boycott call 24 hours to election.” 

The group recalled that same thing happened in 2017 governorship election in Anambra State when Kanu also declared election boycott. It also recalled how Ralph Uwazuruike ordered Biafrans to boycott Nigerian census.

“Today, we Biafrans are suffering that census boycott; there is no way we can boycott census and election, while we are still in Nigeria, that is what wisdom teaches us.

“We’ve said it time without number at different Biafra gatherings, that we came to bring reformation in Biafra struggle. We can achieve this Biafra without loosing souls.

“We need to grab our opportunity whenever it arises. As it concerns this 2019 elections, we make sure we support those who buy our ideas to win the election; when they win the election, they will be our mouthpiece in the states and at the federal level.”

“Today, we Biafrans are fighting and quarreling with our state governors and representatives because they were appointed and imposed on us. That is why in 2019, we called our members, all over the world, to come out in millions on February 23 and vote for Atiku Abubakar.

“We also call on the Christians in the northern part of the country to vote for Atiku Abubakar. If President Muhammadu Buhari could not protect Christians from being killed by Fulani herdsmen for four years, we are afraid of giving him another four years.

“We’ve not met with Atiku or his agents nor collected one naira from anybody; but, we took our position after wild consultations. We call on all pro-Biafra groups to stop issuing orders that are against the interest of our people.

“We have other means we can adopt to cripple the economy or frustrate the federal government of Nigeria, other than issuing orders that are against our people.”