Separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has stated that Nnamdi Kanu remains its leader, and at no point was Chika Edoziem chosen as his replacement.
IPOB in a statement on Tuesday, said it had become necessary to debunk a report in some section of the media that Kanu has been replaced, adding that those behind it are doing it for propaganda and blackmail.
The statement titled ‘We have not replaced Nnamdi Kanu as our leader – IPOB’ by the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, read: “We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemn the useless and fabricated media propaganda and blackmail from some media houses that IPOB has another or acting leader replacing our indefatigable liberator and prophet Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We want everybody to bear in mind that Mazi Chika Edoziem is the head of IPOB Directorate of State, DOS and not IPOB Acting Leader. The was never a time that Emma Powerful, the Publicity Secretary of IPOB issued any statement purporting that our leader had been replaced by Mazi Chika Edoziem as IPOB Acting Leader. The said statement was the handiwork of mischievous elements bent on causing confusion in IPOB.”
Powerful, in the statement, said some people twisted the information that Edoziem would be giving direction for IPOB as Head of DOSwhile Kanu remains in the detention of the Department of State Services (DSS).
“It is unfortunate that some mischievous elements twisted an unambiguous statement by IPOB where we clarified that in the meantime that our Leader is in detention, the Head of DOS, Mazi Edoziem will be providing direction on the day-to-day activities of IPOB. We never said that Edoziem has become the acting leader of IPOB,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubts, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains the Leader of IPOB. The entire IPOB family all over the world is loyal to him. IPOB has no Acting Leader. Chika Edoziem is only the Head of DOS of IPOB not the Leader
“We, therefore, urge our family members, supporters, friends and members of the public to ignore the misleading and mischievous media report.”
