The National Peace Movement has withdrawn its support for Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his refusal to condemn the activities of the separatist group, the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East region of the country.
The movement also urged other Nigerian youth groups to reject candidates with pro-separatist ideology.
The LP presidential candidate failed to publicly comdemn the separatist group, IPOB, and its militia unit, Eastern Security Network (ESN) despite their actions.
The National Peace Movement in a statement issued in Lagos, by its National Co-Ordinator, Revd. Arome Johnson, called on Nigerians youths to stop further mobilisation for the Labour Party flagbearer.
“Following his failure to weigh in on the worsening attacks on the electorate and electoral infrastructure in the South-East by IPOB and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the group called on the youths in the country to withdraw support for Obi and his party,” he said.
The movement also alleged that IPOB and ESN were also harming citizens that they perceived as opposed to their anticipated forceful takeover of government at the federal level in pursuit of their realization of a Biafra Republic.
“Our movement is worried that Obi has failed to publicly condemn IPOB/ESN’s atrocious crimes even when each successive attack makes it clearer that the terrorists/separatists are bent on jeopardizing the general elections in his home region. Obi’s silence over this unfolding development, therefore, suggests that his anticipated pathway to the presidency does not include emergence through a popular vote.
“Furthermore, Obi’s campaign team has not done much to distance its candidate from the online rants of pro-IPOB/ESN accounts Social media accounts that had run IPOB propaganda online. They are the ones now campaigning for Peter Obi, a clear indication that the relationship between the Labour Party candidate and the IPOB may be systematic rather than random.
“Obi’s inability to to condemn IPOB activities publicly suggests that the unity, safety, and corporate integrity of Nigeria may not be guaranteed, if he emerges as the president, therefore, we call on the youths in the country to consider the future, the unity and safety of Nigeria and Nigerians by withdrawing the support for Obi and voting someone who will put Nigeria first ahead of ethnic consideration,” he added.
The movement tendered an unreserved apology to Nigerians, especially to families that have been bereaved or impacted by IPOB/ESN’s criminality in recent months, for supporting Obi’s presidential bid in the last few months.
It explained that its earlier support for Obi assumed that he was the best among the lot but after realizing that he has refused to condemn IPOB/ESN’s rising criminality in the three months and has rather become sympathetic to the separatist group, it, therefore, called on other groups that believe in Nigeria to “withdraw their support for Obi and candidates seeking other posts but support separatist ideology in the country.”
The movement advised the Nigerian youth to stop further mobilization for Peter Obi as he has persistently failed to condemn IPOB activities.