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By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

THE Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, on Tuesday, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to consider postponing the presidential election slated for February 25, for whatever reason.

Chairman of the Forum, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, made the call at a briefing in Abuja, amidst reports that some politicians had asked the electoral body to consider postponing the elections over the scarcity of Naira notes and premium motor spirit also known as petrol.

Ezeife described the pressure mounted on INEC as an invitation to anarchy, saying it is not only undemocratic but anachronistic.

The former Anambra governor said, “The scheduled February 25, 2023, general elections should remain sacrosanct and take place as planned by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and should not be postponed by whatever reasons as being canvassed now by some dissidents and enemies of Nigeria, who are bent on truncating the democratic process by instituting an obnoxious interim government.

“The alleged interim government is not only undemocratic, anachronistic, mundane and authoritarian but also repressive and intimidating designed to truncate the will of the majority of Nigerians, who are eagerly looking forward to the rebirth of a new Nigeria through the election of a dynamic and creative President on February 25.

“The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum fully endorsed the resolution of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum to reject completely and resist the alleged planned imposition of an obnoxious interim government on the country by the enemies of Nigeria, who believe that the leadership of Nigeria is their birthright despite the unprecedented maladministration, poverty, hunger, rising unemployment, insecurity and hardships prevalent on the land.

“We firmly believe that it is only through the INEC conduct of free, fair and credible elections that a dynamic, creative and responsible government capable of giving every section, tribe and group in Nigeria a sense of belonging, will emerge, and prevent Nigeria from drifting further to the unprecedented precipice and eventful disintegration.”

Also speaking, Secretary of the Forum, Prof. Charles Nwekeaku, condemned the unprecedented and alarming rising rate of violence, arson and insecurity in various parts of the country, especially the South East.

According to him, the infamous Monday sit-at home has worsened the economic prospects of the area, thus aggravating tension and threatening the entire Igbo land.

He said, “The rising security challenges in the South East, generally believed to be externally induced and sustained by the enemies of Ndi-Igbo, just to intimidate voters, create fears in them and enthrone voting apathy among our people in order to fundamentally and tactfully truncate the will of the electorate to massively vote for Mr Peter Obi, whose recent endorsement by the Southern and Middle Belt Forum, has added impetus to his likely emergence as the next President of Nigeria n the scheduled February 25.

“We call on the Federal Government and the Governments of the South East states of Abia. Anambra, Ebonyi Enugu and Imo to urgently take proactive steps to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against the teto people.”

He explained that the Forum still believed firmly that it is difficult to navigate any meaningful peace process in the South East without the release of the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The Igbo elders also condemned in strong terms the purported campaigns of some miscreants, faceless mercenaries, unpatriotic elements and enemies of Ndi Igbo that there should be no elections in the South East.

Other eminent personalities from the Southeast, who were present at the briefing include: Former chairman of, Police Service Commission, Chief Simon Okeke; Senator Anthony Agbo, Chief Bob Ezeife, Engr V.I.P. Okoye, Amb. Ozo Nwobu, Elder Onyema Ugwunze, Amb. Humphrey Orjiakor, Hon Chike Okafor, amongst others.