The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has threatened to boycott the 2027 elections across the South-East if the Federal Government fails to ensure that an appeal filed by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is heard.
IPOB’s Head of Directorate of State, Chris Nwangu, issued the threat in a video. He accused the Federal Government of failing to file its respondents’ brief or list the appeal for hearing.
Kanu is currently serving a prison sentence in Sokoto after his conviction on terrorism charges. IPOB says the government must allow the appeal process to proceed before it can expect support from the South-East during the 2027 elections.
IPOB gives FG 14-day deadline
Nwangu said the group had given the Federal Government 14 days to ensure that Kanu’s appeal was heard.
He questioned why the government had pursued Kanu’s conviction but had allegedly failed to defend the case at the appeal stage.
“A country that rushed to convict is now too frightened to defend the conviction,” Nwangu said.
He added that IPOB would review its position on the 2027 elections if the government failed to act within the period.
“We are giving them 14 days to hear Onye Ndu’s appeal. If they refuse, IPOB will review its petitions and will consider boycotting the coming elections across Biafra land and beyond.”
Nwangu further argued that the Federal Government could not expect Nigerians to support it at the polls while refusing to pursue the appeal process.
“A government that will not face its own court of appeal has no right to demand our votes.”
Kanu appeals terrorism conviction
The threat comes amid Kanu’s ongoing legal battle over his terrorism conviction and sentence.
In November 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment after convicting him on terrorism charges.
The court handed him life imprisonment on counts one, four, five and six of the seven-count charge. It also sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment on count three and five years on count seven.
On February 4, IPOB filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja. The group asked the appellate court to quash Kanu’s conviction and sentence.
Among other grounds, Kanu argued that the trial court imposed the life sentence without allocutus. An allocutus is a statement by a defendant explaining why the court should not impose the maximum punishment for an offence.
IPOB seeks reversal of conviction
In the appeal, Kanu asked the Court of Appeal to overturn the decision of the Federal High Court.
He also asked the appellate court to discharge and acquit him on all the counts contained in the charge.
Part of the relief sought by the appellant reads:
“An Order of the Honourable Court of Appeal quashing the conviction of the Appellant in all the counts in the charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 by the Federal High Court Judge.”
Kanu also asked the court to set aside the sentences imposed by the trial court.
“An Order of the Honourable Court of Appeal quashing, reversing and setting aside the sentences/punishment imposed on the Appellant by the Honourable trial Federal High Court Judge in the charge no. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.”
He further sought an order discharging and acquitting him on all the counts.
“An Order of the Honourable Court of Appeal discharging and acquitting the Appellant in respect of all the counts in charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.”
The latest warning adds another political dimension to Kanu’s ongoing legal battle. IPOB is now linking the outcome of his appeal to its position on participation in the 2027 elections across the South-East.
