IPOB, Kanu’s family at loggerheads over alleged sack of Kanu’s lawyer, Ejimakor

The family of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has approved Barrister Aloy Ejimakor as Kanu’s legal representative.

This was in the wake of reports in various media outlets that Ejimakor, the attorney for IPOB and Kanu, has been fired.

Emma Power­ful, IPOB spokesman, on Tuesday, in a rather curious twist announced the sack of Ejimakor, attributing his action to the deci­sion of Director­ate of State (DOS) of the State of Biafra.

Powerful faulted Ejimakor for saying he “has no idea what IPOB is fighting for and does not know IPOB’s modus operandi, that is why he attempted to export his lack of the inner workings of IPOB and his confused state of mind to the general public.”

However, in an immediate response on Wednesday, the family of Kanu has criticised the DOS for the aforementioned decision, questioning when it became the body’s and Emma Powerful’s power to decide who the pro-Biafra agitator should name as his special counsel or, for that matter, legal representatives of IPOB.

The family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu strongly condemned the alleged dismissal announced by Emma Powerful, calling it false and defamatory.

They also insisted that Ejimakor would continue to serve as the detained IPOB leader’s special counsel until MNK stated otherwise.

In the press release on Wednesday, the family maintained, “For the avoidance of any doubt, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor personally and physically met with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu just days ago on 24th July 2023. And on 27th July 2023, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu met with my younger sibling. The main event of both visitations was the standing Direct Order of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on termination of Sit-At-Home which he had issued through Barrister Aloy Ejimakor on 24th July”.

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The family also said Ejimakor was not hired or retained by Emma Powerful or the Department of State of IPOB which Powerful stated he was speaking for, stating “Instead, it was Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (in his official capacity as Supreme Leader of IPOB) that hired Barr. Ejimakor in late 2017. So, unless Emma Powerful and DOS believe that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has become vegetative (as they once rumoured), how can they suddenly begin to make decisions for him?

“To be sure, what is propelling the DOS is the same animus and jealousy that had propelled them to mess up the first direct order issued by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in 2021, terminating the sit-at-home.

“The DOS was driven mad with jealousy and envy that the order was delivered to, and announced by my humble self (Prince Kingsley Kanunta Kanu) instead of by the DOS, and for this reason alone the DOS sabotaged that initial effort by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to terminate the Sit-At-Home.

“This time around, they have become more vicious in their rage against Barrister Ejimakor, simply because Barrister Ejimakor delivered his message so effectively that it has finally ended the Sit-At-Home, as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had long desired, but which the pathetic DOS could not accomplish despite Mazi Nnamdi Kanu giving them several opportunities to do so.

“It is pertinent to state that since Mazi Nnamdi Kanu retained the legal services of Barrister Ejimakor in late 2017, it has been a season of landmark victories singlehandedly won by him.”

Speaking further, the family said, “It needs to be made clear that in all the cases handled by Barrister Ejimakor, the IPOB or a member of IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi are the only parties. And where IPOB is not a party, it is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that is the party and it is only because he is the Supreme Leader of IPOB; so, in that sense, it is still an IPOB case with Barr Ejimakor as its vanguard.

“Therefore, this DOS sacking of Barnster Ejimakor, even so, laughable and ineffectual, is a clumsy attempt by DOS at biting its nose to spite its face. In other words, it is a senseless attempt at self-immolation of the real IPOB and we will not allow it to happen”

Earlier in June, Kingsley Kanu has said the services of the IPOB Lead Counsel, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and that of Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, are no longer needed in Nnamdi Kanu’s case.

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