Anambra Guber: We Have No Business Engaging IPOB – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it will not engage with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to urge the separatist group to eschew violent activities in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said engaging with the IPOB is outside the scope of the commission’s mandate.

Okoye spoke against the backdrop of rising insecurity in Anambra and concerns being raised about alleged plans by IPOB to unleash mayhem on the state during the November 6 polls.

“Within the commission’s realm, we recognize political parties, we recognize the people of Anambra State, we recognize Civil Society Groups and Organizations and we recognize traditional institutions and the clergy.

“So, if they (IPOP) are part of Civil Society Groups and Organizations and they attend our programmes, we will tell them what we intend to do in relation to the Anambra elections.

“But in terms of IPOB, the commission will not go out of its way to engage with an organization that the Federal Government has declared as illegal, we won’t do that. But any Civil Society Groups and Organizations that attend our programmes is welcomed,” Okoye said during an interview on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Thursday.

He said INEC’s constitutional and legal mandate is to organize and supervise elections, noting that ensuring security during elections “is left for the security agencies and the Nigeria Police Force” as the lead agency in term of election security.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government recently said it would not foreclose the possibility of declaring a State of Emergency in Anambra if the state government led by Governor Willie Obiano should fail to ensure that the state was safe enough for INEC to conduct the election.

The security situation in Anambra is said to be affecting election campaigns in the state as aspirants have restricted their campaigns to certain parts of the state.

THE WHISTLER reported that the candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, had taken his campaign to Lagos State, a move that may not be unconnected to the recent killings in the state.