Nnamdi Kanu
In
a show of influence, Nnamdi Kanu has threatened to shutdown government
activities in Ebonyi State as he pushes for the Biafra State.
Pro - secessionist crusader and leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has sensationally declared Ebonyi state, a
free Biafran state and vowed to shut down governance in the ‘salt state’
for three days on his next visit.
Kanu, made the controversial declaration while addressing thousands
of Biafra agitators during his tour of Ebonyi state on Monday. “I have come to declare Ebonyi a Biafra state and when next I come, I will shut down the state for three days”, he declared amidst cheers from his supporters.
During his stop in Enugu, the Abia state born Biafra agitator had
declared that the Anambra state governorship election slated for
November 18, would not hold unless the federal government organises a
referendum for the Igbos on October 1, 2017.
Kanu issued the veiled threat while fielding questions with newsmen
at a brief event where he received awards from three Igbo groups- the
Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), the Igbo Students’ Association
(ISA) and the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), in Enugu.
Kanu said “There will be no election in Anambra state come
November 2017 and going forward there won’t be any election until they
give me date for a referendum. They know what to do; convene a meeting, I
will send my rep, give us a date for referendum, that is the only way.
“In which part of this earth have you ever found a measure of
self-determination to be equated to war except in Nigeria because the
political leaders do not understand the difference between
self-determination and war?
The Biafra activist, who was released from prison custody on health
grounds last June, denied allegations that he was using the illegal
Radio Biafra to propagate hate speech.
He argues: “Self-determination does not mean hate speech; the
status quo can no longer remain. Like my brother Evangelist Eliot
Ugochukwu-Uko said, if on or before October 1 nothing happens in terms
of substantial restructuring, then there won’t be any election; the
people will support us.”
On oppositions to his call by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other Igbo
leaders, Kanu said their stand makes no stand because “the people are
with us; we have their support 100 percent and come 18th of November
2017, the world will be amazed.
However, while describing Nigeria as a ‘failed state’ and a ‘zoo’,
Kanu urged Ebonyians, to boycott the 2019 general election and all
subsequent elections in the state by the federal government until the
demand for referendum is granted.
“Nigeria is a zoo and a dead country that will be buried tomorrow. No one from Ebonyi should vote for Nigeria in 2019”, he said.
The tough-talking IPOB leader, who stopped briefly at at Yaweh
Church for a brief prayer before proceeding to Abakaliki in a motorcade
amidst tight security, assured his supporters that Biafra has come to
stay. “I will teach our enemies what they do not know. I will teach
them that nobody can stop Biafra because Biafra has come to stay”, he boasted.
Kanu equally vowed to continue his tour of what he called
Biafraland, insisting that nothing will stop him from his secessionist
crusade. His words: “I will traverse all parts of Biafra land and
other areas without anybody stopping me including police and soldiers
who are always in the habit of harassing people. I will continue to walk
in the midst of these security agents as you can see and nobody will
arrest me. They know they cannot stop Biafra.
Earlier in a presentation termed “Enugu Declaration”, different
Igbo groups at the event called on the government not to make further
delay towards restructuring the country. The declaration was signed by
Dr Alfred Udokwu; South East Elders Union; Rev Fr John Odey, Eastern
Consultative Assembly; Bishop Mike Ibenene, South East Christian
Network; Chief (Mrs) Maria Okwor:Igbo Women Assembly; Evangelist Elliot
Ugochukwu-Uko, Igbo Youth Movement, among others.
They noted that the struggle by the ruling clique to sustain the
present centralist federal system imposed on Nigeria by the military was
no longer acceptable to Ndigbo.
Their joint statements read in parts: “Their arrogance, and
ruthlessness has no place in the 21st century. It can only lead to the
death of Nigeria. Nigeria must be restructured if Nigeria is to survive,
and egalitarianism, equity and merit-based system enthroned.
The groups also declared support for IPOB’s planned boycott of Anambra poll; insisting that they “will
not participate further in any elections whatsoever until Nigeria is
restructured to true fiscal federalism anchored on regional autonomy.”
The statements read further: “We restate that if genuine
processes towards restructuring Nigeria are not embarked upon by the
federal government on or before the 1st of October 2017, our people will
find it extremely difficult to continue to participate in the Nigerian
project.
According to the Igbo groups, continuing to vote in elections in what they called ‘dysfunctional land’ will be “deepening the hole the country has fallen into”.
“We will no longer vote in any elections whatsoever until
Nigeria is restructured. This is the demand, desire and decision of the
masses of Eastern Nigeria. We, therefore, conclude, that apart from the
political class and their structure and the elite club who live in
comfort zones, 99% of our people do not see any benefits of electing
leaders the structure makes it impossible to hold accountable.
“The imposed unitary structure simply makes it impossible for
the hapless electorate to choose their own leaders. Restructure now, or
count us out of your elections.”
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