From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has declared support for the Anambra State governorship election slated for Saturday, November 6.
The election has raised serious safety concerns following the insecurity in the South East and the declaration of a one week sit-at-home in the region from Friday, November 5 by the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB).
Though IPOB has clarified that it did not call for election boycott, declaring a sit-at-home a day to the poll has been interpreted as another way of saying no to the participation of Anambra voters.
Rising from its national meeting presided over by its leader, Uchenna Madu, MASSOB said the election must hold in the interest of Igbo.
A statement, yesterday, by MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Edeson Samuel, said the implications of not conducting the election would be grave for the region.
“Having studied the political, economical, religious and social implications of not having a credible election in Anambra State and the political mourning that may erupt by imposing a non representative of Ndi Anambra as governor, MASSOB declares that the Anambra governorship election slated for November 6 2021 will hold as announced by INEC.”
The group encouraged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to go ahead without distraction to conduct the governorship election on Saturday.
MASSOB said it had issued instructions to its 21 local government coordinators, three senatorial zonal leaders, 310 provincial administrators and all its securities to assist in effecting a peaceful and credible election in Anambra State.
MASSOB advised the people of Anambra State and other residents in Anambra “to exercise their fundamental and constitutional rights of electing their next governor because Anambra political space will never be in vacuum. Anambra governorship election is for the interest of Ndigbo, we can never allow or give unfortunate legal room for outsiders to dictate our political and economic future.”
It said its position does not mean derailment of the struggle for the actualisation and restoration of Biafra.
“We must always consider the overall interest of Ndigbo first before group or individual interest.”