Under the aegis of the All Igbo Youth Forum, Igbo youths have stipulated requirements for President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, or APC, to win their support in the general elections of 2027.
The young people called for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, to be released unconditionally.
At a press conference and solidarity event celebrating Kanu’s recent court victory in Kenya, which was held at Awka Hall in Umuahia, the organization made the condition public.
More than 600 young people from the South-East states took part in the event, which subsequently erupted into a joyful march with cries of support, according to BASEMEDIA NEWS.
After a Kenyan High Court in Nairobi ruled on June 26 that Kanu’s kidnapping, custody, and extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021 were “illegal, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights,” they convened.
The lawsuit was presided over by Justice E. C. Mwita, who granted Kanu 10 million Kenyan shillings in damages and held the Kenyan government and security services responsible.
The youths encouraged Tinubu to pay attention to the repeated requests for Kanu’s release, calling the ruling “historic” and a confirmation of Kanu’s innocence.
Chinedum Obilor, the former Deputy Chairman of Umuahia North Local Government Area and President General of the All Igbo Youth Forum, spoke on behalf of the group when he stated that Kanu’s release is crucial to Tinubu’s prospects in the South-East during the 2027 elections.
“Igbo political leaders should not fool Mr. President with false promises.
“We, the youths, are in charge of Igbo land—not the senators, not the governors. If you release Kanu, you don’t need to give us rice or money to vote for you. But if you don’t, we will align with anyone who is willing to release him, regardless of tribe,” he said.
Obilor emphasized that the release of the IPOB leader is the most pressing demand among Igbo youths and warned that continuing to ignore this demand could have serious political consequences for the Tinubu administration.
“Our governors and lawmakers are deceiving you. They claim to have control, but they don’t. Come and work with the youths, or what happened in the last election will happen again,” he warned.
He went on to say that although the Federal Government has previously disregarded the pleas of well-known Igbo leaders like Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, the youngsters are speaking out this time, and their voices need to be heard.
Igbo politicians were also warned by the group not to use Kanu’s name for their own political gain.
“Our political leaders are being cautioned to refrain from utilizing Kanu’s name for political purposes. The days of that era are passed. They are in possession of our mandate, which we may revoke with our ballots.
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