Don’t use IPOB’s name for political points

Two days ahead of the governorship election petitions tribunal judgement, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s family has warned politicians and groups in Abia State against using the name of the Indigenous People of Biafra to score cheap political points.

In response to a press conference held by a group in which Governor Alex Otti of Abia State was accused of sponsoring IPOB in order to cause terror in the state ahead of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s decision on Friday, October 6, the Kanu family described the allegation in its entirety as false and baseless.

The younger brother of the IPOB leader, Emma Kanu, who spoke with Punch Friday night said, “What they are doing is out of desperation. If they have problem of leadership in the state, they should go and sort it out, they should stop dragging IPOB into their hopelessness.

“What we are interested in is the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who the federal government is still incarcerating in spite of court order to release him.

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“Those who sponsored the press conference must have ulterior motives, their intention being to rubbish Otti, but if Otti has won election, he has won election and there’s nothing anybody can do about it, but they should not bring IPOB into the issue.

“For what reason will IPOB attack any judge for doing his work? They should stop using IPOB’s name to score cheap political goal. Those saying Otti was sponsoring IPOB to cause trouble in the state, Which IPOB? What proof do they have to that?

“Over the years, IPOB has not been interested in their election, we don’t meddle into elections. Our target is referendum and the freeing of Kanu and stop the flouting of court orders, that’s all”.

Emma said the IPOB which his brother leads has nothing to do with LP or Otti, adding that trying to link IPOB with Otti is out of desperation, adding that since his brother has remained the centre of gravity, and on numerous occasions, the Federal Government had flouted court orders, he would have thought the group’s press conference should have focused on that and not discussing IPOB, Labour Party and Otti.

“Nnamdi Kanu is currently in detention on civil grounds, not even on criminal grounds, so, I was thinking the group would have been fair enough to speak about this matter that has dragged this country to the mud all the time and not to be talking about frivolities”, Emma said.

Abia State Government, had on Tuesday, called on the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Army Staff, the National Security Adviser and the Inspector General of Police to do an immediate and thorough investigation into allegations against it by the opposition in the state, stating “In the first press conference a group of few young men had alleged that Governor Alex Otti was using Abia Funds to sponsor the litigation of the LP Presidential candidate in the last Presidential Election, Mr Peter Obi.

“In the second press conference, another group of strange fellows alleged that the four-month-old government of Alex Otti is sponsoring the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to cause terror in the state”, alleging also the Abia State Government had allegedly concluded plans to intimidate the Justices to deliver judgement in favour of Governor Alex Otti or alternatively would ensure that the Judges would be killed if they fail to deliver judgement in favour of the Governor.

According to the state government, “because these allegations are weighty and have the propensity to cause disaffection, insecurity, breakdown of law and order, and even endanger the lives and property of innocent citizens”, it strongly urged for interrogation of those concerned.