The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has kicked against the one-week sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The members of the proscribed group had threatened that they would direct that there should a one-week sit-at-home protest in the South-East if their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was not released forthwith.
But the declaration which was broadly condemned was also aimed at boycotting the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
The Secretary-General of the Chidi Ibeh-led Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said in a statement on Sunday that Ndigbo should not obey the order this time.
He said, “Any declaration that unleashes untold hardship, leads to the collapse of commercial and industrial activities, boycott of Anambra elections and interrupts the academic calendar in Southeastern states is nonsensical, absurd, and anti-Igbo agenda, for the enemy’s amusement.”
He also described the directive as enslavement of Ndigbo, adding, “For the Igbo to rise to the occasion and end being trampled with orders from overseas by those without any investments in the South-East.
“IPOB should discern that there was self-determination struggle in Africa before now. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail and never in the history of the movement against Apartheid was starvation, anguish, and catastrophe unleashed on Black South Africans by ANC.
“It is impulsive and reckless to order Ndigbo to observe one-week sit-at-home when it’s obvious that Nnamdi Kanu will not be released without the approval of courts.
“IPOB should revisit and nullify the one-week sit-at-home or they will likely lose the support of the Ndigbo henceforth, Ndigbo must participate in Anambra election and nothing should stop it.”
He cautioned that such orders if implemented would give an unnamed political party an edge in the election.
