JUST IN: Tinubu Dares IPOB’ Sit At Home Order, Fixes His 2023 Presidential Campaign Rallies In Anambra, Imo On Mondays

The APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, will hold his campaign rallies in Imo and Anambra States on Mondays despite the controversial sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-east region.

The timetable released by the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) shows that Mr Tinubu will hold a campaign rally and a stakeholders’ engagement in Imo State on Monday, 21 November.

On Monday, 30 January, the campaign train will move to Anambra, the home state of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate.

IPOB declared the sit-at-home order in August 2021 to put pressure on the Nigerian government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for treason and terrorism.

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The proscribed separatist group initially declared the holiday for Mondays but later extended it to every day Mr Kanu appears in court.

There have been reported cases of the use of force by the group to enforce compliance. Gunmen have attacked traders and commuters across the region who flout the order. However, in recent times, compliance with the order has reduced with South-east governors deploying means to take control of the situation.

The group has also vowed to disrupt all election activities in the region and has attacked electoral officers and party members.

Mr Tinubu has yet to declare his stance on the group, unlike Mr Obi that already promised to sit down with all agitators to find peace. However, the APC candidate’s campaign team is now set to dare the separatist group.

Apart from enforcing the controversial sit-at-home, gunmen suspected to be IPOB members have also routinely carried out attacks in the South-east, killing many people and kidnapping others for ransom.

On Thursday, the Director General of the campaign council and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, said the campaign will flag off in Jos, the Plateau State capital on 15 November.

This will be followed by rallies in Delta on November 15, Imo on 21, Kwara on 22, Anambra on 24, Ogun on 26, Enugu on 29 and Sokoto on 30 November.

The APC will hold two rallies in Lagos and Kano State. In Lagos, rallies will be held on 3 December and 13 February.

And for Kano, 4 January and 11 February.

While the Rivers State rally is scheduled for 1 December, the timetable says Mr Tinubu will spend the second week of December on “international engagement.”

The Osun State rally is scheduled for 24 January. And for Abuja, there will be a rally and musical concert on 8 February.

The Lagos State rally on 13 February will mark the end of the presidential campaign activities for the party and the last ten days before the election will be spent on “election planning.”