Olalekan Adetayo, AbujaThe acting National Chairman of United Patriots, Chukwudi Ezeobika, has faulted the call by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to hold a referendum on the sovereign State of Biafra on February 16, a day set aside by the Independent National Electoral Commission for presidential and National Assembly elections. He said the call was irresponsible, unpatriotic and highly misplaced. Ezeobika, who is also the party’s senatorial candidate for Anambra South, said this in a statement on Saturday. He said having full knowledge of the deplorable state of affairs in Nigeria under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress government, it was strange and disturbing for anyone to encourage the Igbos to boycott the general elections especially the Presidential and National Assembly elections in place of a referendum. “It is very important to note that this call for a referendum during elections is neither in the overall interest of the Igbos nor advantageous in any way, to the political life of the Igbos as their political strength will further be diminished if they heed such irresponsible call to boycott the general elections.

Source: Punch February 09, 2019 13:41 UTC