The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has denied involvement in the ongoing insecurity in the South-East.
Yesterday, unknown gunmen numbering about 12, stormed the Ihitte Uboma local government area in Imo State and shot dead a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Okorie Anthony, at the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration Exercise, CVR.
These masked men have been terrorizing the region for many years now. Irked with the incessant killings, IPOB, through its spokesperson, Emma Powerful vowed to expose those behind the dastardly act.
READ ALSO: Kanu sacrificing to emancipate Igboland - IPOB's legal team
In a statement obtained by Vanguard, Emma stated that IPOB members were not the ones that attacked INEC staff in Imo.
Emma equally disassociated the group from the rumor making the rounds that IPOB members are the 'Unknown Gunmen', that have been killing people.
His words: "We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU, strongly condemn the attack on INEC staff at Ihite Uboma LGA of Imo State.
"We are also warning these traitors and enemies of Biafra behind these barbaric attacks to stop or be ready to reap the reward of their atrocities. IPOB cannot afford to allow them to continue to terrorise our people or demonise our peaceful organisation as some uninformed people appoint accusing fingers at us.
"IPOB is not happy with these criminal activities going on in our region because we don't want this to continue and we are going to expose those behind this evil in the region.
"Anybody involved in this act will regret it. We totally disassociate from this act of criminality. IPOB volunteers and ESN have no hands in this criminal act that criminals randomly carry out against our people.
"We have made it clear to the public severally that IPOB members are not unknown gunmen and we cannot be because we have objective which is to restore Biafra as a free, Independent and Sovereign Nation.
"Anybody who is involved in this evil act on INEC officers at Ihite Uboma LGA will pay dearly. The masterminds are being sponsored by unfortunate politicians thinking they can jeopardise our decision to make Biafra freedom a reality.
"We want to make it publicly known that IPOB and its security units did not attack INEC officers in Imo State. IPOB will not relent in discovering those behind this devilish activities and expose them."
We're not unknown gunmen, we didn't attack INEC staff in Imo - IPOB
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Politics
We're not unknown gunmen, we didn't attack INEC staff in Imo - IPOB
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has denied involvement in the ongoing insecurity in the South-East.Yesterday, unknown gunmen numbering about 12, stormed the Ihitte Uboma local government area in Imo State and shot dead a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Okorie Anthony, at the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration Exercise, CVR.These masked men have been terrorizing the region for many years now. Irked with the incessant killings, IPOB, through its spokesperson, Emma Powerful vowed to expose those behind the dastardly act. READ ALSO: Kanu sacrificing to emancipate Igboland - IPOB's legal teamIn a statement obtained by Vanguard, Emma stated that IPOB members were not the ones that attacked INEC staff in Imo.Emma equally disassociated the group from the rumor making the rounds that IPOB members are the 'Unknown Gunmen', that have been killing people.His words: "We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU, strongly condemn the attack on INEC staff at Ihite Uboma LGA of Imo State. "We are also warning these traitors and enemies of Biafra behind these barbaric attacks to stop or be ready to reap the reward of their atrocities. IPOB cannot afford to allow them to continue to terrorise our people or demonise our peaceful organisation as some uninformed people appoint accusing fingers at us."IPOB is not happy with these criminal activities going on in our region because we don't want this to continue and we are going to expose those behind this evil in the region."Anybody involved in this act will regret it. We totally disassociate from this act of criminality. IPOB volunteers and ESN have no hands in this criminal act that criminals randomly carry out against our people."We have made it clear to the public severally that IPOB members are not unknown gunmen and we cannot be because we have objective which is to restore Biafra as a free, Independent and Sovereign Nation."Anybody who is involved in this evil act on INEC officers at Ihite Uboma LGA will pay dearly. The masterminds are being sponsored by unfortunate politicians thinking they can jeopardise our decision to make Biafra freedom a reality."We want to make it publicly known that IPOB and its security units did not attack INEC officers in Imo State. IPOB will not relent in discovering those behind this devilish activities and expose them."
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2023: Tinubu's action on Ambode haunts campaign
THE unsettled question of the falling apart of Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come to haunt the presidential aspiration of the latter, Saturday Vanguard has learnt.Mr Ambode was denied a second term in office in 2019 after Tinubu and the Governance Advocacy Council, GAC, the apex supervisory body in the APC in Lagos State withdrew support for Ambode. That support was switched over to Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu who easily won the primary supervised by a panel led by former Cross River State governor, Mr. Clement Ebri.Saturday Vanguard gathered that at the meeting between Tinubu and APC governors last Tuesday that the issue was on the sideline of the discourse as some governors expressed concern that Tinubu was unforgiving of Ambode despite appeals from several governors and emissaries of President Muhammadu Buhari for a rethink."The issue of Ambode and Obaseki came up and some governors expressed concern that despite the personal efforts of the president and many governors who came to lobby for Ambode that Asiwaju did not relent," a source privy to the discussion disclosed."It was a matter of concern that if for someone like Obaseki that governors came as a delegation to beg and you were not commander-in-chief and you refused to heed, we wonder how he would treat us subsequently," a source privy to the discussion disclosed.
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Mercenaries 've been recruited to attack Osinbajo-- Group
A group, Progressive Lawyers for Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday, raised an alarm over the alleged recruitment of mercenaries against the Vice President sequel to his declaration to run for the office of the President in 2023.The group's Convener, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, in a statement said that the attack was aimed at de-marketing the Vice President.He said that all efforts were being made to malign Osinbajo while alleging that about six different characters were said to have been sent to Ogun State Ikenne, his home town for the onslaught.This he said was to get the requisite information from his kindreds that could allegedly discredit him and also recruit his kinsmen against him in his state all in an effort to malign him. Ajulo said: "But it is a pity that they are doing this to someone who has warned all his supporters not to attack or abuse anybody."So in days to come do not be surprised to see more of their fabricated lies and contrived false allegations, but the question you need to ask yourself is why all these now."We know them, there's nothing hidden under the sun, but as lawyers, the due process will be followed to ask for redress and ensure the perpetrators are dragged before the court."He however said that the identities of the perpetrators would soon be made known."Since the Vice President's declaration to run for the office of the President in 2023 on April 1 people have narrowed down the presidential race in the APC to Osinbajo and Tinubu."People also believe that his coming in may polarise the votes of the southwest delegates between him and Tinubu thereby putting the region in a disadvantageous position."Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Prof Yemi Osinbajo are leaders in all ramifications and South West is their base, but don't let us miss this point the state is that of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not South West. "What matters most, is that the best candidate, the most experienced emerges as the candidate of the party."This is not only that he is the most experienced aspirant today; politically he is the most experienced. Then when you talk of his intellectual prowess, he is there," he stated.
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Wike submits completed presidential nominated form
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has submitted his filled and completed presidential nomination form.Governor Wike's form was submitted to the National Organising Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Umar Bature by Senator Sulieman Nazif at the party's national secretariat in Abuja on Friday.Speaking on behalf of the delegation that submitted the form, Senator George Sekibo assured Nigerians that if Governor Wike is elected president of Nigeria, he would expeditiously tackle the protracted insecurity, and economic and infrastructural challenges facing the country.Senator Sekibo, who represents Rivers East senatorial district in the National Assembly, said since assumption of office in 2015, Governor Wike had been able to transform the infrastructural landscape of Rivers State.'For us from Rivers State, we are proud to say that Governor Nyesom Wike has served diligently, has served very well. And we are sure he will bring that same service and extend it to this country. Just as he has eliminated issue of security in Rivers State, the issue of security in Nigeria will be eliminated. Just as he has brought infrastructural revolution in Rivers, bad roads will be eliminated in Nigeria,' he said.He further added: 'We believe that when Nigerians give him (Wike) that opportunity to serve them as the president, he is going to replicate what he has done in Rivers State and much more in the entire country.'We have our confidence in him. This is a testimony from us from Rivers State that he can serve Nigeria, and we believe most of the woes we are crying about every day by the grace of God when Nyesom Wike becomes the president of the country will be drastically reduced and eliminated.'Senator Sekibo, who described the Rivers State governor as a bridge-builder, explained that he is resolute about his presidential ambition and has been travelling to various states of the federation to consult with critical stakeholders.'Virtually every day, he is in one state or the other state consulting every person who manners. And we believe that with that level of consultation Nigerians are buying into the project. We also believe that before it will be the date of the primary, virtually every Nigerian will buy into this project. Why did I say so, he is a bridge-builder.'Similarly, Senator Lado Danmarke, who was among those who purchased the form for Governor Wike, said they took the decision because the Rivers State governor has the competence and capability to restore the lost glory of the country.'And we believe that he (Wike) will make us proud. We believe that he will make Nigeria proud. He has the capacity, he has the competence to restore the lost glory of our dear country. That is why we believe in him, that is why we are committed to this rescue mission. We believe he will take us to the promised land.'On his part, the National Organising Secretary of the PDP, Umar Bature, gave assurance the party would give all presidential aspirants a level playing field.'We wish him (Wike) the very best in this contest and we believe the party will benefit from the process of selecting our presidential candidate. And as we said from the beginning that everybody will be given a level playing field to exhibit the potential they have for the country and Nigeria.'We believe that Governor Wike is one of our candidates that have those qualities to lead Nigeria. And that is why we wish him well and we also thank you for coming to submit this form.'
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