By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, has cautioned the federal government not to underrate the Indigenous People of Biafra’s, (IPOB’s) “No Referendum No Election” threat as the group may deploy the use of social media, Short Message Services (SMS) to disrupt the Anambra governorship election.
The group while calling on both the state and Federal governments not assume that the proscription of the IPOB has weakened it in the scheme of things, reminded that proscription does not stop organizations from functioning and recalled that the members of the group staged a demonstration in Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial nerve centre, threatening voters not to come out and vote in the November 18 governorship election in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by CDD’s Communication Assistant, Inim Beatrice sent to Sundiata Post.
Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, which carried out a study against the backdrop of threats by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) to stop the November 18, Anambra Governorship Election noted that IPOB may attempt to enforce its call for boycott of the election at all cost and using all means to achieve that. This group said, may lead to an outcome that threatens democracy not just in Anambra State but also in the South-east and indeed the country as a whole.
The group further advised that the security forces should be proactive in curtailing the excesses of the group but warned that excessive force should not be deployed in case of any skirmishes arising during the election, adding that the Operation Python Dance 11 has elicited so much pain and emotional anguish within the South East Region.
It also reminded that “Not all members of the community believe that secession is the best option, adding that the way the security forces operate, will have consequences for which side increases its support”.
CDD also noted that if IPOB engages in violence and disrupts the election and their activities lead to a declaration of a state of emergency on Anambra state, it is IPOB that will lose its social capital.
In that case it continued, it is possible that the entire South-east may revolt against IPOB and cause an implosion that will invert the Biafra struggle against itself.
The statement reads in parts:
“There are already a number of unhappy citizens in Anambra State who believe that IPOB has singled their state as a guinea pig that will make them the only Igbo state without an elected governor in the South-east. Such an outcome, desired by IPOB would trigger a constitutional crisis as the term of the governor would have elapsed and a sole administrator will have to be appointed by the Federal Government. Imposing state of emergency on Anambra state if violence erupts and if the election fails to hold will cost IPOB and the state more than they can imagine.”
The report further argues that a successful election boycott by the IPOB poses extreme danger to the Federal Government and national politics as it will boost the confidence of secessionists and equally trigger the drive for other ethnic groups or sections of the country to toe the same line.
On the other hand, the report stated that a failure of the boycott will also place the Biafran struggle on the line, should Anambra people come out en-mass in November to vote.
“It is therefore imperative that the federal government avoid the use of force and especially militarization of the state to avoid low voter turn-out and also to avoid violence or a face-off with the remnants of the proscribed IPOB secessionist movement”, the report said.
The report noted that to make the election possible, voter education is imperative on the part of the political parties and INEC in order to avoid voter apathy and total boycott in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
It further disclosed that it is likely that six LGAs may witness low voter turnout if the IPOB carries out its threat of boycott and disruption of the electoral process, adding that these LGAs are the strongholds of IPOB and are likely to mobilize members and sympathizers to boycott or disrupt the governorship election.
“What this means, therefore, is that the election would hold in many LGAs but it may witness poor voter turnout or total boycott in the strongholds of IPOB in areas such as Ogbaru, Onitsha North and South, Oyi, and Idemili South”, the report said.
Nonetheless, the CDD posited that following Operation Python Dance 11 and the discontent it generated, the likelihood of having high voter turnout has become impossible.
