TheCable

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to deceive Nigerians ahead of the 2019 general election.

In a statement on Sunday, IPOB described the party’s proposition of state police in the country as an “election gimmick”.

A restructuring committee set up by the APC had, among other things, recommended that Nigeria should employ the use of state police.

Although the federal government is yet to adopt the recommendation, IPOB said the party is only trying to buy time with such move.

In the statement sent to TheCable, Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, said the idea of state police would be forgotten after the election, just like the “APC did with (its promise of) restructuring”.

“Even the most unintelligent person knows that this state police proposal is a key component, if not the central plank, of the report on restructuring by the APC committee appointed by the presidency,” the statement read.

“It is a calculated fraud designed to buy time and confuse the gullible. It is merely an election gimmick calculated to deflect attention and convey the impression that this is a listening government which is a lie.

“This APC regime promised restructuring before they were elected into power, today they are ardent opponents of restructuring. With this state police gimmick, once you elect them back in 2019 they will become critics of state police. Only the gullible and unintelligent will be taken in by this charade.”

Powerful said had the current administration been sincere about its intentions, “it would have implemented the proposal (of restructuring) immediately rather than merely issuing it as a report to be debated upon”.

He, however, added that IPOB is not interested in “whatever structural reforms” the federal government wishes to undertake “because the key tenet of democracy which is public debate and vote on a crucial matter is conspicuously lacking in their approach and proposal for state police”.

“Our primary interest remains the full restoration of the full sovereignty of the nation of Biafra and nothing more,” he said, adding: “Anything short of a referendum to ascertain the wishes of the people is dead on arrival for us.

“We are democrats by genetic disposition, which means that our belief that power resides with the people is sacrosanct.”