The Indigenous People of Biafra has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to ensure the immediate hearing of the appeal filed by its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, threatening to mobilise 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, amid renewed concerns over the delay in the hearing of Kanu’s 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, requesting that his pending appeal be listed and heard without further delay.
IPOB accused the Federal Government of showing urgency in prosecuting and convicting Kanu but failing to demonstrate the same urgency in defending the conviction before the Court of Appeal.
The group said the Federal Government had yet to file its respondent’s brief or list the appeal for hearing.
It therefore warned that failure to act within the 14-day period could trigger a campaign for voters across the South-East and other areas it described as “Biafraland” to stay away from the 2027 elections.
IPOB said, “A government that cannot face its Court of Appeal has no right to demand our votes.”
The group also questioned the legal basis for Kanu’s conviction and continued detention, asking the government to clarify the law under which he was convicted on November 20, 2025.
IPOB further criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Kanu’s discharge and acquittal by the Court of Appeal.
The group maintained that the apex court exceeded its constitutional powers by ruling on individual counts it claimed had already been quashed by the Court of Appeal.
It insisted that the government must address both the substance of Kanu’s conviction and what it described as the jurisdictional foundation of the resumed trial.
On the possibility of an election boycott, IPOB rejected arguments that such a move would simply facilitate electoral malpractice.
The group argued that a collective decision not to participate in the electoral process could instead serve as a political statement by people who believe the system has failed to deliver justice.
Kanu has remained in detention following his conviction, with his legal team pursuing an appeal against the judgment.
IPOB’s latest warning comes as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising fresh questions about the possible impact of Kanu’s case on political participation and electoral mobilisation in the South-East.
