A socio-political group, the All Igbo Youth Forum (AIYF), has issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that they should not count on the support of Igbo youths in the 2027 general elections if the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, remains in detention.
Speaking during a press conference in Umuahia, the President General of the group, Chinedum Obilor (popularly known as Fayose Ohuhu), declared that Kanu’s continued incarceration would be a major factor in determining whether Igbo youths would support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Obilor, a former Deputy Chairman of Umuahia North Local Government Area, cautioned the President against relying on assurances from some Igbo political leaders, whom he described as out of touch with the grassroots. He insisted that the real political power in the South East lies with the youths.
“Mr. President, don’t be deceived by our governors, senators, and members of the House of Representatives. They are not in charge. We, the youths, are the ones in charge of Igbo land. If you want to work with us, release Nnamdi Kanu. If not, what happened in 2023 will happen again in 2027,” Obilor said.
The statement came during a gathering of over 300 youths from across the South East to celebrate a recent court victory secured by Kanu in Kenya.
A Kenyan High Court sitting in Milimani, Nairobi, on June 26 declared Kanu’s 2021 abduction and extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria illegal. Presided over by Justice E.C. Mwita, the court found that Kanu’s incommunicado detention, torture, and transfer violated Kenyan and international law, awarding him 10 million Kenyan shillings in compensatory damages.
Describing the judgement as historic, Obilor and the AIYF said it vindicated Kanu and confirmed the illegitimacy of his ongoing prosecution in Nigeria. They called on President Tinubu to heed renewed calls for his immediate release.
“Kanu’s release is the highest demand of Ndigbo. If President Tinubu grants this request, he won’t need to campaign with rice or money. Igbo youths will vote for him freely,” Obilor said.
He further warned that Igbo politicians must stop exploiting Kanu’s name for political gain, stating that such actions would no longer be tolerated.
“Our political leaders must remember that they are holding our mandate, and we can take it back. We warn them: stop using Kanu’s name to score cheap political points,” he concluded.
