Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has warned the Indigenous People of Biafra that its planned one-week sit-at-home is anti-Igbo.

This was contained in a statement signed by the group’s Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, on Sunday where he described the sit-at-home as enslavement which would cause hardship for people in the region.

The statement read in part, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has deciphered that any declaration that unleashes untold hardship, the collapse of commercial and industrial activities, a boycott of Anambra elections, and interrupts the academic calendar in South-Eastern states is viewed as nonsensical, absurd, and anti-Igbo agenda for the enemies’ amusement.

“You can’t enslave Ndigbo for one week without backlash from them, it’s time for Igbo to rise to the occasion and end being trampled with orders from overseas by those without any investments in the South-East.

In the statement, Isiguzoro drew IPOB’s attention to the failings of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra noting that the planned sit-at-home would only favour the All Progressive Congress in the Anambra governorship election.

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He also urged the proscribed group to overturn the sit-at-home citing the adverse effects it would have on the lives of blue-collar workers and the South East economy at large.

“Had IPOB declined to learn from the blunders and mistakes of former MASSOB leader Ralph Uwazurike on the boycott of population census of 2001 which made Igbo the majority-minority in Nigeria, attempts to boycott Anambra elections evidently will favour APC to win Anambra elections.

“IPOB should revisit and nullify the one-week sit-at-home or they will likely lose the support of Igbo henceforth, Ndigbo must participate in Anambra and nothing should stop it,” Isiguzoro said.

“Ndigbo should ask anyone enforcing the one-week sit-at-home if they know the plight of common people who are street vendors on perishable goods, artisans, motorists, market traders.

“Furthermore, Ndigbo should check out the investments of those calling for one-week sit-at-home, if proponents of the sit-at-home don’t have any visible investments in the South-East, then it’s time for Igbo to retreat from observation of the sit-at-home and defer it from henceforth.”