Izuchukwu Okosi
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Prime Business Africa reports that weeks of quiet but consistent intervention of South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops, convinced the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to cancel the sit-at-home order that could have disrupted last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria.
There had been fears that the election would not hold, following agitations by IPOB members demanding immediate release of their leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been in detention for what the Nigerian government said were treasonable offences.
Residents in the Southeast have, for several months, been made to comply with a weekly sit-at-home directive every Monday, an order that has crippled economic activities and forced, at least, two state governments in the region to declare Saturday school day as a substitute for the weekly loss of socio-economic activity.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelFor the governorship election sit-at-home directive, however, a truce was thankfully reached 48 hours before the election as IPOB reconsidered its vow to disrupt the conduct of the election after the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops stepped in and led the charge that ultimately guaranteed the election going ahead on Saturday.
Prime Business Africa gathered that the South East traditional rulers and eminent clergymen met at different times to appeal for calm and cooperation to ensure the election holds peacefully and in a free and fair manner.
This intervention by the high ranking monarchs and religious leaders prevailed on IPOB to allow peace reign as the people exercised their franchise.
Meanwhile, a leading stakeholder in the region who would not have his name mentioned while speaking with Prime Business Africa afterwards praised these noble efforts, saying that “words of appreciation can never go amiss and when properly applied can only make a people more productive.”
Following his victory at the election, Governor-elect Charles Chukwuma Soludo has expressed gratitude to the people of Anambra for their faith in him and pledged to bring lasting peace and bigger development to the state.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
