2023 Elections: IPOB Internal Crisis Surface As Court Frees Nnamdi Kanu

The secessionist organization Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, appears to be in trouble.

This is due to the fact that the group’s highest decision-making body, the Directorate of State (DOS), claimed there were no intentions to scuttle elections in the South-East, but a different group quickly refuted that assertion.

Videos of Mr. Simon Ekpa, a dissident member of the group who is a citizen of both Finland and Nigeria, stressed that there would be no elections in the zone.

Ekpa threatened that there wouldn’t be elections in the South-East in 2023 in a video that quickly gained popularity on social media and promised that IPOB would sabotage the process.

BREAKING: Nnamdi Kanu Discharged And Acquitted By Court

However, the group’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, stated in a news release last week that there is no truth to any rumors circulating about intentions to scuttle the election in Igboland.

Powerful in the statement said: “The IPOB leadership has for the umpteenth time stated unequivocally that part of our modus operandi in our agitation for freedom has never been, is not and will not be violent agitation. This explains our consistent demand for the UN to organise a Referendum in the Biafran territory for the Biafran people to determine their destiny. To this effect, IPOB is neither contemplating nor will it encourage or sponsor anyone or group to disrupt the Nigeria shambolic selection process called election.

“IPOB has constantly made it public that we have no interest in and cannot legitimise the aberration they call election in Nigeria. We are a focused, determined and disciplined freedom fighting movement not political thugs and IPOB is devoted to the cause of liberating our people from subjugation and from modern day slavery and Neo-colonialism and will not allow ourselves to be distracted from this very objective. If in the future IPOB Leadership decides to make further statement on the upcoming Nigeria selection process called election, we shall make such statement through our official channels.”

LATEST: Appeal Court Did Not Acquit Nnamdi Kanu – Malami

The aforementioned created a discussion regarding the group’s cohesion because Ekpa frequently made broadcasts, including fundraising ones, in the name of IPOB and frequently announced sit-at-home protests in the group’s honor in the South East. “To me, they’re all the same,” says Sylvester Sunday, a common man who sells phone accessories in Aroma Junction, Awka. I simply comply whenever they say they are going to stay home.

However, Emma Powerful requested in a WhatsApp conversation with Newsmen that all of Ekpa’s statements be discounted and disregarded because he was not an IPOB member nor did he have the authority to speak on their behalf.

Powerful said: “You shouldn’t take what Simon Ekpa said because it won’t hold water. He is nobody in relevance and popularity. IPOB has no business in Nigeria selection called election and besides Simon Ekpa is never IPOB member and I don’t know why you equate his strategies with IPOB strategy.

“I called you before and informed you never to write whatever Simon Ekpa says, Simon Ekpa never introduced any new thing unless what IPOB introduced. Monday Sit-at-home was issued by IPOB and cancelled and he capitalise on it and is causing problem. Tell your people or friends to stop joining my statement with Simon Ekpa unless they have intentions to destroy IPOB which cannot work for them.”

LATEST: Nnamdi Kanu’s Family Reacts To Court Judgement

In the meantime, there are conflicting reactions to Nnamdi Kanu’s release and acquittal by the Court of Appeal on Thursday. Many think Kanu’s release would enable him to leave custody and take a strong stance on the information he had been sharing through third parties while he was imprisoned; he would then be able to fully declare on his own that there would be no election boycott in the South East. By doing this, he would put a stop to people like Ekpa and other accused criminals working for IPOB in the South East.

On the other hand, some individuals think that Kanu’s release may be part of a planned strategy to use him to intimidate South Easterners into becoming apathetic voters because he would likely insist on the realization of Biafra, which would be opposed to a peaceful election in the South East.

When Kanu was recently released from prison, some of his supporters celebrated at UNIZIK junction in Awka. One of these supporters, who only went by the name Oga Boss, said: “Now that Kanu is on his way out of prison, let me see how all these people who are using his name to cause trouble can continue.

“Be it Simon Ekpa, who does not always listen anytime Kanu passes a message from prison, or all those people who go about kidnapping and dropping the name of IPOB, let me see how they will not listen when Kanu speaks.”

IPOB Warns Criminals In South East As Court Discharge And Acquits Kanu

Since Kanu has been imprisoned, there have been reports of some of his supporters utilizing his name to generate income for themselves. A governorship candidate from a well-known political party had to give millions of Naira to people who swore allegiance to Kanu during the Anambra governorship election in 2021, which was also the State’s most violent year and during which many areas were deemed to be extremely dangerous to visit, just to ensure there would be safety as the candidate launched his campaign.

However, two replies, Victoria Mmerichukwu and Nwama Lubia, who left comments on Facebook, opined that it is still odd that Kanu was cleared of all charges. They suspect it might be a large-scale scheme to  exploit Kanu, through his release, to distract the Igbo.

“It’s indeed suspicious! I see it as a strategy, to bring division among Ndigbos. Because, for sure some will be agitating for Igbo Presidency while others Biafra, which they might (cause) declaration of no election in South East,” they said.

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