IPOB Gives FG 14-Day Ultimatum to List Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has given the Nigerian government 14 days to list Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal or risk a boycott of the 2027 general elections across the South-East and other parts of what it describes as Biafraland.

 

The ultimatum was issued on Monday by the Head of IPOB’s Directorate of State, Mazi Chris Nwaogu, in a video broadcast.

 

Nwaogu accused the Federal Government of delaying proceedings on Kanu’s appeal against his conviction, alleging that the government had neither filed its respondent’s brief nor taken steps to have the appeal listed.

 

“The Federal Government has not filed a Respondent’s brief, they have not listed the appeal, they have not come to court. A country that rushed to convict is now too frightened to defend the conviction,” he said.

 

He warned that IPOB could mobilise for a boycott of the 2027 elections if the appeal was not listed within 14 days.

 

“We are giving them 14 days to list Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal, if they refuse, we will consider boycotting the coming elections across Biafraland and beyond. A government that cannot face its Court of Appeal has no right to demand our votes,” Nwaogu said.

 

The IPOB leader also criticised the Supreme Court judgment that overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision discharging and acquitting Kanu.

 

He alleged that the apex court exceeded its constitutional powers by making affirmative findings on individual counts that had previously been quashed by the Court of Appeal.

 

Nwaogu argued that the Supreme Court could correct errors concerning the jurisdiction of the trial court but could not restore charges he described as having been extinguished.

 

“A court can declare jurisdiction that already exists; it cannot manufacture jurisdiction that has ceased to exist. An order of remittal can send a living case to a court, it cannot by itself raise a dead count from the grave and make it triable,” he said.

 

Nwaogu further accused the government of deliberately keeping Kanu in detention because of concerns over his influence.

 

“They fear a free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They fear his influence, they fear a man who will not trade Biafra so they keep him in Sokoto and hide from their own court. In 14 days, list the appeal, hear it, defend it if you can,” he added.

 

The development follows concerns previously raised by Kanu’s family over delays in hearing his appeal. The family had disclosed that Kanu wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal, seeking the immediate listing and hearing of his pending cases.