By Emeka Mamah

ENUGU—EASTERN Consultative Assembly, ECA, and Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, have commended the Igbo for honouring the sit-at- home directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as mark of respect for Ndigbo who died during the Biafran war among other agitations, Wednesday.

Onitsha road deserted following IPOB’s Sit-at-home directive

This was contained in a statement   jointly signed by the Deputy Leader, ECA, Chief Maria Okwor  and Founder of IYM, and Deputy Secretary of Igbo Leaders of Thought. ILT, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu- Uko, in Enugu, yesterday.

The statement entitled, ‘Another successful quasi referendum,’  read:  “Again, our people have spoken with one voice in completely paralysing our region by staying at home yesterday in demonstration to the world, where we stand. Despite intimidations, harassment and threats from certain quarters, our people resolutely stayed indoors yesterday.

“We commend our people, for standing on the truth. This is particularly interesting  inspite of the spirited effort by government apparatchik to pervert the truth through inducement and blackmail. We congratulate the people of Eastern Nigeria. Government owned media reports hundred percent compliance in Aba, Nnewi, Onitsha, etc and over 70% compliance in other areas, the people have spoken.

“One year ago, after another successful sit-at- home, some people issued a quit notice and mounted pressure which led to unprovoked attack at Afaraukwu, in active connivance with collaborators, to kill innocent  souls whose only crime is that they have lost faith in Nigeria as currently constituted and therefore seek freedom from relentless oppression by a ruthless oppressor who proudly values cattle over human life.

“Again, yesterday, our people demonstrated in no uncertain terms that we are completely tired of unitary Nigeria. If a referendum were to be conducted today, it is clear that the old Eastern region would vote 95% out of this hellish country.

“Yesterday’s successful  sit-at-home is a quasi referendum on where the people’s soul and spirit lie. The result is too clear for even the blind to see.

“Again, this development confirms that the pseudo leaders of our region who have paraded themselves as leaders for years have finally lost it. They have just become leaders without followers. This is also an affirmation that no amount of  ‘Operation Cobra Jump’ or ‘Operation Viper Fly’  can subvert the will of the people.

“We commend the leadership of the most oppressed and most persecuted mass movement in the world, for their patience, tolerance, endurance and ability to lead, direct and guide the masses of Eastern Nigeria with humility and determination, in spite of the provocation of a clearly clueless oppressor.

“An oppressor who has exhausted every brutal strategy, including slaughtering thousands of unarmed agitators in cold blood, just to sustain an unworkable unitary structure, by fire, by force.”