IPOB disowns Simon Ekpa’s ‘Biafran Government In Exile’

Outlawed Igbo separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has disowned a ‘Biafran Government In Exile’ declared by self-styled Nnamdi Kanu’s disciple, Simon Ekpa, last week.

The Finland-based Ekpa who broke away from the group early this year to form a parallel group, IPOB-Auto Pilot, declared a government in exile on Wednesday last week and went on to state that it was the beginning of the actualisation of Biafran Republic.

But in a statement on Sunday, IPOB distanced itself from the move and once again disowned Ekpa, saying he does not have the mandate of its leader to make such a declaration.

In the statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said the declaration should be disregarded as Ekpa is a scammer who is only using the name of the group for his personal gains.

“We the global movement and noble family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to reiterate once again to Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom across the globe that IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu has not set up any Government In Exile (GIE). We, therefore, dissociate ourselves completely from the purported Government in Exile.

“IPOB has legitimate and well established institutions and well-structured administrative hierarchy that oversees the day- to-day running of Biafra affairs.

“Already, all Diplomatic Missions and countries of the world know about Biafra agitation and they communicate with IPOB as the responsible authority that overseas the affairs of the Biafran people be it nationally or internationally.

Read also:IPOB distances self from killing of Northerners in Imo

“IPOB has international contacts and connections not through any worthless Government In Exile but through our established institutions and structures .

“So, anybody or group peddling or claiming to have set up Government In Exile has again embarked on a jamboree like those who came before them claiming to have formed a Government in Exile at one point in time.

“We are not unaware that some dissidents expelled from IPOB, including a former Deputy to our Leader had once suggested this Government In Exile to our Leader, Kanu, but he did not buy into it knowing fully how needless it is at this stage of our struggle.

“But unfortunately, now that our Leader is in detention, these same elements saw it as an opportunity to actualise their selfish ambition by quickly claiming to have set up the non-existent GIE. We know that their ultimate aim is to use it to sell the Biafra struggle to our enemies but they have failed woefully.”

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