•Say Kanu’s release’ll quell insecurity in Igbo land
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Pan-Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-political group, Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, has said the South East region would not accept interim government as being rumoured.
President Muhammadu Buhari had constituted a 21- member transition committee and said his tenure would not be elongated. Even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recently told Nigerians that the election would go on as planned.
But the leadership of the Forum insisted that the poll must not be postponed by whatever reasons as being championed by those he claimed were bent on truncating the democratic process by instituting an interim government.
Chairman of the forum and former Anambra State governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, stated this at a press briefing, yesterday, in Abuja, which had in attendance Charles Nwekeaku, Anthony Agbo, Bob Ezeife, VIP Okoye, Ozo Ugwueze, Humphrey Orjiakor, and Chike Okafor.
He said: “The scheduled February 25, general election should remain sacrosanct and take place as planned by INEC, and should not be postponed by whatever reasons as some dissidents and enemies of Nigeria, who are bent on truncating the democratic process by instituting an obnoxious interim government.
“The alleged interim government is not only undemocratic, anachronistic, mundane and authoritarian, but also repressive and intimidating designed to truncate the will of the majority of Nigerians, who are eagerly looking forward to the rebirth of a new Nigeria through the election of a dynamic and creative president on February 25.
“The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum fully endorsed the resolution of the southern and Middle Belt Forum to reject completely and resist the alleged planned imposition of an obnoxious interim government on the country by the enemies of Nigeria, who believe that the leadership of Nigeria is their birthright despite the unprecedented maladministration, poverty, hunger, rising unemployment, insecurity and hardships prevalent on the land.”
Ezeife called on the Federal Government to release leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, so that the region can enjoy peace and tranquility.
He said it was undemocratic for the government to continue to incarcerate Kanu despite different court rulings in his favour.
The octogenarian said: “The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum still believed firmly that it is difficult to navigate any meaningful peace process in the South East without the release of Kanu.
“The continued detention of Kanu, in defiance to the three-man Appeal Court unanimous judgment quashing of all the remaining terrorism charges against him by the Federal Government, and subsequently directing that he should be released, is seen as part of the grand design to fuel and sustain crises and insecurity in the South East, and reduce the voting strength of our people in the planned elections.
“The Federal Government adamant in releasing Kanu despite his reported worsening health conditions, and his needed urgent medical attention, aptly dents the image of Nigeria and lowers its esteem before the comity of nations as our country is being portrayed as a state of nature characterised by anarchy, brutish, violence, ruthlessness and repressiveness.
“The Federal Government should release Kanu without further delay to convince the whole world that it is interested in the peace process of the South East, as well as readiness to conduct free, fair and credible elections in the country. Finally, we condemned the purported campaigns of some miscreants, faceless mercenaries, unpatriotic elements and enemies of Ndi Igbo that there should be no elections in the South East.
“The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum will not only network with the relevant government authorities and stakeholders to arrest and prosecute those unpatriotic elements, but also will ensure the smooth conduct of elections under a conducive and safe atmosphere in the South East.
“We, therefore, urge all eligible voters who have not collected their. PVCs to quickly do so, and be ready to vote in the elections for a rebirth of a new Nigeria that every Nigerian will be proud to call a home.”