The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday lashed out at controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over his comment that the emergence of Peter Obi as the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate has slowed down Biafra agitation in the Southeast.
However, IPOB believes that Obi’s involvement in Nigerian politics can’t compromise the agitation for Biafra.
Daily Post reported that Gumi said the emergence of Obi as LP presidential candidate had slowed down the agitation for Biafra.
The cleric had said the Obi’s movement had reduced IPOB’s activities, thereby bringing relative peace to the Southeast.
Condemning Gumi’s remark, IPOB reiterated that it does not recognize Obi as a Biafran because he opted to engage in Nigerian politics.
The separatist group noted that Obi’s involvement in the presidential race won’t affect its agitation for Biafra.
IPOB stressed that it does not engage in Nigeria’s election process because it’s “shambolic” and fraudulent.
A statement by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described Gumi as clueless and uninformed about its activities.
The statement reads partly, “The attention of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra under the command of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been drawn to the unguarded statements from Sheikh Gumi, alleging that IPOB agitation has slowed down in the South Eastern region since Peter Obi picked up the tickets from Labour Party for presidential race in Nigeria.
“We understand that some unscrupulous elements in Nigeria, especially Fulani elements, were thinking that Peter Obi who is among those running the race to become Nigeria President would affect us or change our decisions to pursue the freedom of our dear Nation Biafra.
“We have said it before now that IPOB does not know Peter Obi and Peter Obi does not know IPOB. If Peter Obi knows IPOB and its aims and objectives, he wouldn’t have come out in the first place to contest or waste his wealth and vast knowledge, talent and wisdom which God Almighty gave and blessed Biafrans with in the Zoological Republic.
“We can never slow down agitation until Biafra comes.”
IPOB said Gumi and his likes would not understand how Biafra would be actualized.