wonderful and well-informed choices made during periodic elections by Anambra citizens. It is therefore a most unfortunate irony and comical that individuals from states that are known to be afflicted with infrastructural bankruptcy and cursed with pronounced leadership convulsion would be seen advising Anambrarians to avoid the polls scheduled for 18th November, 2017. They should tell it to the marines. Such directives can only be found in books like Alice in Wonderland. It is akin to a tale told by an idiot full of sound fury signifying nothing [apologies to Williams Shakespeare]. In the light of the legal adumbrations hereinabove highlighted, anybody who chooses to deploy other means than that legally accepted means capable of advancing the Biafra agitation is nothing but an anarchist. Ndigbo have a saying that “ebe onye bi ka ona-awachi”.
This literally translates that “Where a man lives, he protects”. Anambra is indeed “our own” and I must sound selfish here. Boycotting election [from clear legal perspective] will by no means advance the cause of Biafra. Election boycott and Biafra realization have no nexus. That is trying to confuse apples with oranges to only score a point in attention-seeking. It is at this juncture that I entirely endorse the conclusion of Anambra APGA that “Nnamdi Kanu’s call for a boycott of elections in the South-East, beginning with the governorship polls scheduled for November 18, 2017 in Anambra is irresponsible, irredentist and totally devoid of any focus”. I equally endorse the view of Ohanaeze Chairman [Chief Nnia Nwodo] that “We are happy with the peace that exists here.
We are happy with the steady progress that Anambra has registered over the years. The next election can only improve not retard it”. Those who do not know the laid down procedures or are unwilling to follow the internationally recognised procedures for secession should leave the business of Biafra agitations alone. They should humble themselves and go into the lecture room of international law or seek for a crash programme on international law. Abstaining from election is a choice. However, going further to disrupt electioneering processes [like football tournaments, campaign rallies] and invading and desecrating the sacred places of worship [as witnessed in Ekwulobia] are acts clearly outside the meaning of the word “boycott”. Those are acts of outlawry. They are forerunners of anarchy. Anarchy is antithetical to democracy. Anarchists are anti-democratic forces that must be opposed whether in Nigeria or Biafraland. Anambra State has values that distinguish it from the lots. We cherish democracy and its pristine values one of which is freedom of thought and speech. We are republican.
We abhor anarchy and view tyranny with disgust! People who wish to deal with us must respect our values. In every democracy, while the minority will always have their say, the majority will have their way. In every democracy, no one man has the monopoly of the knowledge of what is good for a people. A people have the right [in every democracy] to reject even what is good for them. Advocates of election boycott must begin to learn, accept and live with this democratic truth. May those who are actively seeking to return our dear Anambra state to the wasteful and inglorious days of Mbadinuju be dismayed and turned back. This is because, they are our enemies. For seeking to precipitate anarchy in the state of the iconic departed Supreme Leader of Biafra [His Excellency Dim Ikemba Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu], they are enemies of Biafraland.
They have no respect for the cherished memories of our departed Supreme Leader who [in his matchless wisdom] established APGA as a political party in the Nigerian Federation. A party which the current IPOB Leader [Nnamdi Kanu] once headed its UK Chapter. Nnamdi Kanu has not told us what has changed between then and now. On my part, I have my permanent voter’s card (pvc). And God sparing my life, I will be at my polling unit to make a wise choice in taking my Dear State to a more enviable height. I choose to stop here.
7th August, 2017.
JOHNMARY CHUKWUKASI JIDEOBI, Esq. is a Criminal Defence Attorney based in Abuja and could be reached on truedemocracyfornigeria@gmail.com
