Breaking: IPOB cancels one-week sit-at-home order, urges huge participation in Anambra election

Two days to the Anambra State governorship election and a day to the commencement of the one-week sit-at-home order, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the cancellation of the week-long exercise issued across the South-East region.

The group Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, who made this known in a statement on Thursday evening said the group called off the order after consultations with elders, traditional, and religious leaders from the region.

The secessionist group had earlier denied any involvement or election boycott in the forthcoming Anambra governorship poll.

It would be recalled that the Baifrian group, had late last month threatened one-week sit-at-home order in protest for not releasing its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is in the custody of the Department of the State Services (DSS).

Speaking in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, the outlawed group said it is not IPOB’s intention to add to the pains of the people it claims to fight for since all business activities would be brought to a halt with the sit-at-home order.

“Following the genuine intervention of our elders, esteemed traditional institutions/rulers and religious leaders, and after due consideration of the positive impacts of their engagement, and sequel to the fact that our elders have spoken in our terms, the Leadership of IPOB ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu hereby and immediately call off the one-week sit-at-home earlier declared to commence tomorrow, November 5 to November 10, 2021.

“We have equally considered several appeals by our mothers who earn their living based on their daily economic activities which will obviously be affected if Biafraland is locked down for one whole week. It’s never our intention to add to the pains of our people, hence our decision to suspend the sit-at-home.

The proscribed group urged the people of Anambra to come out to vote for their preferred candidate on Saturday.

“The people of Anambra State should go out en masse and peacefully exercise their franchise come 6th November 2021 and accordingly, choose a leader of their choice and should not be intimidated by anybody, group of persons or security agents.

“Anambrarians should vote and standby to protect their votes. No rigging of any kind will be tolerated in the Anambra State governorship election. It must be transparent, free and fair to all,” the statement added.