The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday
said it has started printing ballot papers for the referendum to be conducted
for the people of the South east to vote if to remain in Nigeria or secede.
The group said it planned to hold the referendum
latter this year, and that it was determined to ensure that the exercise takes
place without violence.
A statement issued by the Media and Publicity Secretary
of the group, Mr. Emma Powerful, called on the people of the region to ignore
rumours by sponsored individuals who have equated referendum to call for war,
saying they are different.
According to him, "Efforts geared towards this
first referendum is gathering unstoppable momentum with dates for the exercise
to be announced soon. 40 million ballot papers are being printed and readied
for distribution to every clan and village in Biafraland for all adults over
the age of 18 to express their preference.
"For those that set out to mislead the
populace by equating IPOB's call for referendum to a call for war, in order to
mask their betrayal of the people, will no doubt find another reason or excuse
to object to this upcoming plebiscite."
The group reminded the people that it would not be
the first time a referendum would be held in the country, as it has been held
previously, and did not amount to war either.
"It is worth remembering that on the February
11, 1961, Nigeria conducted a referendum for the people of Southern Cameroon to
determine whether they wish to be part of Nigeria or merge with the Francophone
Northern Cameroon.
"This referendum resulted in the peaceful
secession of the then NCNC controlled Anglophone Cameroon from Nigeria. In
other words, they voted to leave Nigeria for good. That was democracy in action
not war.
"No war was fought and no ethnic group was
threatened with annihilation. If those parading themselves as leaders, with
their much touted academic accomplishments, are not aware of this relatively
modern history, then the pervading ignorance in Nigeria, occasioned by the
spectacular collapse of the education system is more generational than earlier
thought.
"If those that claim to be the elite in the
society cannot reference Southern Cameroons as a case where referendum resolved
an intractable issue, then their supposed elitism is founded on pure
fantasy.
"Again, on July 13, 1963, Nigeria conducted
another referendum which led to the creation of the defunct Mid-West from the
supposedly Yoruba dominated Western region. The old Mid-western region
comprised of parts of today's Delta and Edo States. No war was fought; no
ethnic group was threatened with extinction.
"Those that canvassed for a referendum then
were not labeled war mongers. It speaks of the magnitude of prevailing
ignorance in Nigeria that people are in this age unaware of the fact that
referendum has been used in Nigeria before to resolve a seemingly intractable
issue," Powerful said.
The group therefore alerted that plans were at
advanced stages in preparation for the first in its three-stage referendum
process towards the peaceful, non-violent restoration of the nation of Biafra.
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