Biafra: IPOB Fixes February 16 For Referendum, Same Date As Nigeria’s Presidential Election

IPOB Fixes Referendum For February 16

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared February 16, 2019, as the new date for its referendum on the declaration of sovereign Biafra.

The date clashes with the day Nigerians are also expected to head to the polls to decide who will become the country’s president for the next four years.

Speaking further, IPOB says its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has relocated to the United Kingdom from his base in Israel, to perfect arrangements on the Biafra referendum.

As earlier published by Naija News, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Nnamdi Kanu, has also ordered its members in Abia state, southern Nigeria, to observe a sit-at-home on Tuesday (today) ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari‘s visit to Aba, the commercial nerve of the state.

A statement released on Monday by Emma Powerful, Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, confirmed the date, also noting that Kanu is currently meeting with officials of the European Union to perfect plans for the referendum.

The statement said: “We can assure you that majority of them have given their assurances and the proposal has received tremendous support from many key allies, who see self-determination for Biafra as the best solution to the present Nigeria problem.

“We are sure of peaceful and rancour-free referendum because international observers and media platforms will be on ground to monitor the exercise on that day. It is important we remind Nigerians, once again, that the ongoing political developments in the country only confirms that Nigeria cannot work together as one country, and Biafra must be a sovereign nation.

“We, the global family of IPOB, ably led by Nnamdi Kanu, wish to announce officially to the people of Biafra, both home and in the diaspora, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom that our leader, Kanu is currently in London, to join his family and see his newborn child he hadn’t seen because of his illegal incarceration and detention since 2015.

“He will also discuss with IPOB top family members in London, to finalise the way forward for Biafra referendum that will hold on February 16, 2019, alongside Nigeria’s presidential poll.

“On Friday last week, Kanu arrived Leeds Airport in England, where our deputy leader, Uche Mefor and other top IPOB members based in the UK received him. Kanu and other top IPOB high command are expected to meet with European Union ( EU) officials to gather more international support for the Biafra proposal.”