The family of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has warned “desperate and mischievous politicians” against using the name of the pro-Biafra group to score cheap political goal.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu who spoke for the family, was reacting to a viral video of a press briefing by a group which accused Governor Alex Otti of sponsoring IPOB to “cause terror” in the state ahead of the judgment of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to be delivered Friday, October 6.
Kanu’s family dismissed the allegation as spurious, baseless and laughable”, declaring that IPOB has nothing to do with Nigerian election let alone election tribunal judgment.
Recall that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, had also called for the arrest and interrogation of those behind the said press briefing and allegations.
He accused them of instigating anxiety and panic in the state ahead of the tribunal judgment.
Ekeoma who said that Gov. Otti had no dealings with IPOB accused major opposition parties in the state of masterminding the allegations to cause confusion and discredit the State Government.
Kanu’s family said that IPOB’s major preoccupation was how to secure freedom for its “illegally detained Leader and organize referendum for Biafra”, warning politicians to settle their differences without dragging IPOB into it.
According to the family, IPOB and Kanu have become a brand which attention-seekers believe they must use to be easily noticed.
“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 so to speak.
“Those who sponsored the press conference must have ulterior motive, their intention would have been 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 this 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 prove 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”.
Kanu’s family wondered why politicians show no interest on how to compel the Federal Government to comply with court order granting Kanu unconditional release, but always use his name to gain cheap popularity.
“Nnamdi Kanu is currently in detention on civil ground, not even on criminal ground, 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”, the family said.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has washed its hands off the saga, saying the party is responsible enough to know the rules.
The Acting Publicity Secretary of PDP , and the party’s Vice Chairman, Elder Abraham Amah, in a swift response, said the party had never directly or by proxy made any comments against the tribunal members.
PDP told the ruling Labour Party to rather name those behind the said viral video who are identifiable instead of grouping all the opposition parties together and pointing accusing fingers at them.
“The Abia PDP is a responsible, law- abiding corporate citizen that has never, and would never threaten the judiciary.
” We have been through this road and are inclined to believe that it is actually the Labour Party that is crying wolf or trying to instigate anxiety in the polity through this scare mongering tactics.
“As further proof that Abia PDP would never threaten the Tribunal, Abia PDP will support the Tribunal to go ahead and borrow from instances where Tribunal members were threatened or felt so, and had to deliver its judgement via Secure Virtual Platforms such as Zoom.
“As a law abiding citizen, the Abia PDP calls on the Tribunal to dispense justice without fear of intimidation, molestation or harassment from any quarters no matter how highly placed because Abians and the constitution have reposed their trust in them with the hope that justice would be served in the end.”
Ekeoma had during a press briefing Tuesday, denied any plots by the State Government to influence the tribunal contrary to allegations, arguing that Otti who was overwhelmingly voted into power by Abians has nothing to fear or warrant him thinking of resorting to illegality.
