New Ipob leadership disassociates itself from Nnamdi Kanu's attack on Abia's Governor Ikpeazu

INDIGENOUS People of Biafra (Ipob) leaders have lashed out at their founder Nnamdi Kanu asking all other pro-Biafra groups to eschew his course of action and throw their weight behind Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Over the last week, Governor Ikpeazu has lashed out at the missing Ipob leader Kanu who has been in hiding for several months now, claiming only the unemployed and jobless Igbo youths are backing him. Since October last year, no one has known the whereabouts of Mr Kanu, with his aides claiming he was arrested by the Nigerian Army.

Earlier this week, Mr Kanu's wife challenged the Nigerian Army to reveal her husband's whereabouts but the military claim to have no knowledge of where he is. Ipob has since elected a new leadership, which has distanced itself from Mr Kanu and backed calls by Governor Ikpeazu calling on Ndigbo to stop adhering and introducing inconsequential propaganda that is dangerous and meaningless to the holistic struggle for Biafra restoration.

Peter Bassy, Ipob's director of media and publicity, said‎: “Pro-Biafra groups, irrespective of their status, must be talking about unity of purposes and oneness in pursuit of our dream of Biafra restoration. The era of brandishing self titles, self glorification, selfishness and self superiority which brings self destruction has gone.

“Ipob will no longer continue to insult Igbo leaders in public. It makes Hausa Fulani people to be happy and more comfortable in discrediting Ndigbo and it also creates a very huge gap between the pro Biafra groups and Igbo leaders."

He added that Ipob will no longer insult or use hate speeches against leaders and wishes to revive its former glories which everybody appreciated. According to Mr Bassy, Ipob cannot continue to recoil on ideas and methodologies that endanger the lives and properties of Igbo people.

Mr Bassy added: “We also wish to state that we don’t have problem with southeast governors, including Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state. Governor Ikpeazu was never consulted after the former and disappeared leader was released from detention, irrespective of the advice given to him.

"Governor Ikpeazu respected Kanu’s father even when there was pressure to dethrone him, and resisted pressure to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu. We disassociate ourselves from the earlier statement credited to IPOB through Emma Powerful, who is speaking for the disappeared ex-leader, Nnamdi Kanu."

Ipob urged ‎the southeast governors to review its proscription as the new leadership under Mazi Okwudili Ezenachukwu is ready to partner with them and salvage all those things destroyed by the former leader Nnamdi Kanu. Mr Bassy added that Ipob members have realised that creating problems and disaffection through media propaganda will not provide Biafra and only make it a dishonourable organisation.”