Reverend Father Samuel Aniebonam, a priest of the Catholic Church, has dissociated himself from the appointment given to him last week to serve as the chairman of Biafra Independent Electoral Commission (B-INEC) to conduct and supervise the internal election for offices in the newly-formed Biafra Independent Movement (BIM). He described the publication as spurious and linking him with the Biafran struggle.

In a statement made available to journalists on Sunday in Awka, Aniebonam said he was surprised that the leader of the group Uwazurike could make such appointment without seeking his approval and urged the general public to disregard it.

The statement read thus: “Media reports claim that Chief Ralph Uwazurike of Biafran Independence Movement (BIM) appointed Rev Fr. Samuel Aniebonam as the chairman of Biafran Independent National Electoral Commission (B-INEC), a body that would conduct and supervise the internal election for all the offices of BIM on February 22, 2016.

“I, Rev Fr. Samuel Aniebonam, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Anambra State, hereby dissociate myself from the said newspaper publications in their entirety as they were made without my consent and I never in any forum discussed or accepted the so-called appointment from either Chief Uwazurike, his agents, proxies or any other person.

“I also state unequivocally that by my vocation as a Catholic priest, I have stopped from active participation in partisan politics and I have maintained this since 23 years of my ordination. I have neither been involved in, nor encouraged any act of secession or insurrection against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I therefore urge the general public to disregard the publications and I strongly believe in the unity and indissolubility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

It was however gathered yesterday that Fr. Aniebonam’s statement came on the heels of unconfirmed reports that some security operatives have been trailing the cleric, leading to his staying out from the public since the announcement was made.

•Photo shows BIM Leader Uwazuruike.

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