The Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has said it would resist election in the South, if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, refuses to go.

MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, who disclosed this yesterday at a world press conference held at the MASSOB headquarters annex, New Owerri, Imo State, said the resolve of his group stemmed from allegations of bias against the INEC boss.

In his address, entitled ‘Jega Must Go’, Uwazuruike said: “It has become increasingly worrisome that despite strong allegations of bias against the INEC boss, Attahiru Jega, he, Jega, is still preparing to conduct the forthcoming general elections.”

He said the worry stemmed from the fact that the election conducted by the INEC boss would lack credibility and unavoidably put the nation into serious crisis.

According to Uwazuruike, “In such crisis as usual the safety of lives and property of Ndigbo in the North and other parts of Nigeria will be targets for destruction.

“From the onset, Jega was not prepared for free and fair elections. He demonstrated that by his infamous 30,000 polling units, where he allotted more than two-third of the polling units to the North.

“Despite public outcry, the Senate also passed a resolution stating that the polling units should not be used. Still, Jega went ahead and converted the polling units to voting centres in the North.”

The MASSOB leader also pointed out that Prof. Jega was able to distribute more than 90 per cent of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the North, including Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, where there was raging insurgency, while he failed to distribute 50 per cent of the same in the South before the elections were shifted.

He, therefore, said that even when the elections were shifted, there was an avalanche of allegations that Jega would be biased in the conduct of the March and April elections.

“The governor of Plateau State, Mr. Jonah Jang, has taken INEC to court based on the fact that the PVCs meant for distribution in his state are yet to arrive. Besides, other state governors are still complaining that PVCs meant for their states are yet to be printed,” Uwazuruike said.

“Jega wants to organise a kangaroo election where he intends to pronounce his preferred candidate the winner of the election,” he added.

•Text courtesy of Vanguard. Photo shows Uwazuruike.

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