The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, through its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, has denied the allegation that IPOB issued a sit-at-home order against the visit of President Buhari to Ebonyi State and Enugu.
Vanguard reports that foremost nationalist and First Republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi had on Wednesday made a passionate appeal to IPOB to withdraw its alleged order for the people of South East to sit at home in protest against Buhari’s visit.
Chief Amechi said that President Buhari’s visit to Ebonyi State will afford him and other Igbo leaders to discuss the release of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other Igbo questions including the insecurity that is currently being witnessed in Igbo land.
He said “I’m appealing to IPOB or any group behind the alleged statement to please withdraw it, because it amounts to working against the release of our son, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. You cannot be working for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu when you cannot allow us to discuss his release from detention.”
However, when Vanguard sought IPOB, reaction, its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful said that IPOB did not issue any statement ordering anybody to sit at home.
“The sit-at-home order is not from us, it is one of those lies the Police, Army, and DSS, use to tarnish our image. We have been saying that all the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Army, DSS, and other Nigerian security agencies know how to do best is to tell lies against us. We have been saying it and people are beginning to understand what we have been complaining about Nigerian security agencies and their lies and fabricated statements against IPOB.
We are not interested in what Dave Umahi, the Governor of Ebonyi State is doing with Buhari in his state, we know he is using their President to play his politics. We are aware that he wants to use the opportunity to declare his presidential ambition and therefore we are not interested in what they are doing there. If we are interested, we know what to do.
“IPOB did not issue any sit-at-home order, if there is such an order, you must be in the know, so whatever order anybody is issuing against Buhari’s visit to Ebonyi State is not coming from IPOB which I am the spokesman, it is the handiwork of Police, Army and DSS and their agents they use to work against us, shame on them.”
