Igbos in Nigeria Movement’s president counselled against bloc support while asking that Igbos should freely vote for candidates of their choice without feeling coerced.
According to him, “Past experience has shown that Igbos are singled out for undesirable special treatment each time they vote as a bloc for a candidate, something that the other ethnic nationalities do not do. Other geo-political zones allow their people to vote for candidates of their choice, which ensures that whoever emerges the winner will not feel than an entire geo-political zone or ethnic group voted against them.
“This is why we advise those creating the false impression that the entire Igbo nation has endorsed any one particular candidate to desist from the unwholesome act as it would be unfair for them to set up the entire south-east for victimization when a wrongly endorsed candidate loses the election as happened in the past.
“We also urge our people to shun violence and other political actions that inimical to the growth and development of Nigeria. This appeal becomes necessary given the worsening instances of threats and counter threats that politicians are issuing against each other. Our people need to read between the lines and appreciate that the ancestral homes of these candidates and cities where they have huge business investments will at no time record political violence even if we allow impassioned support for the them to ignite Igboland.
“Not only must the people refrain from violence we urge our people in Igboland to support the Nigerian Army and all security agencies that have deployed to maintain the peace during the elections. The support to the army and other agencies is to ensure that thugs that have been hired to unleash violence on the political opponents of their paymasters do not succeed. The people must also be careful of the incitement from IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is now clearly acting out a script that does not accommodate the interest of the Igbos,” Igwe charged.
