The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has issued the Federal Government a 14-day deadline to ensure the appeal of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is listed and heard, threatening to push for a boycott of the 2027 general elections if its demand is not met.
IPOB made the demand in a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, following renewed concerns from Kanu’s family about what it described as delays in the appeal against his conviction and life sentence.
According to the group, Kanu has written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal seeking the immediate scheduling of his pending appeal.
IPOB accused the Federal Government of showing urgency during Kanu’s prosecution and conviction but failing to demonstrate the same commitment to defending the case before the Court of Appeal.
The group said it could mobilise for an election boycott across the South-East and other areas it refers to as “Biafraland” if the appeal is not listed within the 14-day period.
IPOB questions Kanu’s continued detention
Powerful alleged that the Federal Government had not filed a respondent’s brief, listed the appeal or appeared before the court to defend the conviction.
IPOB also questioned the legal basis of Kanu’s conviction and continued detention, asking under which existing Nigerian law he was convicted on November 20, 2025 and what offence, under Nigerian law, supports his continued detention.
The group further criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Kanu’s discharge and acquittal by the Court of Appeal.
IPOB maintained that the apex court exceeded its constitutional authority by ruling on individual counts which, according to the group, had already been quashed by the Court of Appeal.
The organisation said the Federal Government must therefore defend not only Kanu’s conviction but also what it described as the jurisdictional basis for the resumed trial.
Group defends election boycott threat
IPOB also rejected arguments that refusing to participate in the 2027 elections could make electoral manipulation easier.
The group argued that continued participation in an electoral process that its members believe cannot deliver justice would not necessarily amount to political progress.
It said a collective decision to stay away from the polls would instead communicate a loss of confidence in the system.
The threatened boycott would represent a significant political development if implemented, particularly across the South-East, where Kanu and IPOB have maintained a strong political and social presence.
For now, IPOB’s 14-day ultimatum places renewed attention on Kanu’s pending appeal and puts pressure on the relevant authorities to address the delay highlighted by the group.
The next major development is expected to centre on whether the appeal will be listed and heard within the period demanded by IPOB, and whether the group will proceed with its threatened electoral mobilisation if that does not happen.