Ipob Finland disassociates itself from Simon Ekpa saying he has never been their member

SECESSIONIST group the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) has disassociated itself from the new head of Radio Biafra Simon Ekpa saying he is not a member  of their Finnish branch and cannot speak on behalf of the organisation.

On July 10, Mr Ekpa was named as the new head of Radio Biafra with a mandate to produce the daily broadcasts with call for the creation of an independent nation of Biafra. Mr Ekpa, who holds a PhD degree in law, is a human rights activist and a legal researcher who hails from Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, where he holds a chieftaincy title.

Appointed following the arrest of Ipob leader Nnamdi Kanu was who arrested in Kenya and flown to Nigeria, Mr Ekpa is said to be one of those in line to the throne as the son of the late King Nwangbo, the Ogaba Idu of Ngbo clan. He has been living in Finland for more than a decade where he has acquired citizenship and got involved in local politics, recently being elected deputy councillor in his municipality.

In a surprise development, however, Ipob spokesman Emma Powerful has dissociated the group from Mr Ekpa, saying he is not a registered member of their branch in Finland. This comes as Ipob Finland issued a statement signed by Anthony Obasi it national coordinator, Chika Madu its national secretary and Nwada Victoria its national financial secretary, saying any one dealing with Mr Ekpa would face the consequences of such action.

Their statement read: “This is to inform Ipob members worldwide over the raging issue as to whether Mazi Simon Ekpa is a registered member of Ipob Finland or not, where he is resident. We the Ipob Finland family under the command and leadership of Oyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to make it categorically clear to whom it may concern, that Simon Ekpa is not a member of Ipob Finland.

“He has never been a part of us before now and till date he is not a registered Ipob member according to our records.” Mr Ekpa had vowed to continue delivering broadcasts as controversial those put out by Mr Kanu.

Mr Ekpa, who is trained as a soldier, was the chairman of the Igbo Community in Finland between 2015 and 2017. A former lecturer in the Post Graduate Department of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University, Mr Ekpa obtained a PhD in Switzerland and studied at Canyon College where he took advance courses in immigration Law.