My textbook says that $\ce{C_2}^-$ has a lower ionization energy than both $\ce{C_2}$ and $\ce{C_2}^+$. I calculated that the bond orders of $\ce{C_2}^+$, $\ce{C_2}$, and $\ce{C_2}^-$ are 1.5, 2, and 2.5, respectively.
Why doesn't $\ce{C_2}^-$ have a higher ionization than the other two molecules? Shouldn't the molecule with the larger bond order have the larger ionization energy, because it would be more difficult to remove an electron from the stable bond?