IPOB Condemns Soludo Over Remarks on Peter Obi’s Call for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has issued a strong reaction to comments made by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, following former presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi’s recent demand for the release of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. In a press statement dated 15th June, 2026, IPOB’s spokesman, Comrade Emma Powerful, described the governor’s response as a “betrayal” and “political hypocrisy.”
IPOB stated that it was “disgusted” by what it called a “vicious attack” from the Anambra State government after Obi publicly called for Kanu’s immediate and unconditional release. The separatist group said Obi’s demand aligns with long-standing calls for justice and should not be politicized.
The group referenced Governor Soludo’s own past position on the matter to support its criticism. IPOB recalled that on 13th May, 2022, Soludo visited Kanu at the Department of State Services facility in Abuja, where he reportedly shook hands with him and publicly offered to stand as surety for his release. The statement also cited remarks by Anambra Commissioner for Information, Mr. Law Mefor, in March 2025, in which Soludo was said to be “actively working towards Kanu’s release” to restore peace in the South-East.
IPOB contrasted those actions with the governor’s recent reaction to Obi’s statement. According to the group, Soludo’s government described Obi’s call as “a slap on the Nigerian judiciary” and claimed it undermined judicial processes. IPOB labeled the shift in stance as “treachery and political chameleonic behaviour.”
The group alleged that the change in Soludo’s position is tied to political ambition. IPOB claimed the governor is positioning himself for the vice presidency in 2031 under a “Fulani-led ticket” and is therefore sacrificing Kanu and Igbo interests to gain favor with political actors in northern Nigeria. It added Soludo to a list of prominent Igbo politicians it accuses of betraying the cause.
IPOB argued that Soludo’s current position contradicts the expectations of leadership. The statement said no “true son of the soil” should turn against a kinsman after benefiting from the same cause during elections. It accused the governor of abandoning the people who supported his rise to power in pursuit of “crumbs from Abuja.”
The group also faulted Soludo’s defense of the judiciary, saying the same institution has kept Kanu in detention for years despite court orders. IPOB described the governor’s new stance as both a betrayal of the Igbo cause and an insult to the memory of late Igbo leaders such as Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Chief Emmanuel Obiozor, and Ambassador George Obiozor, who had advocated for Kanu’s release.
IPOB emphasized that the demand for Kanu’s freedom extends beyond Igbo interests. The group said it stands with Obi, Prophet Ayodele of the Yoruba nation, and other Nigerians from the North and Middle Belt who have also called for Kanu’s release. It insisted that “justice knows no tribe” and that the issue should not be reduced to regional politics.
Concluding the statement, IPOB reaffirmed its support for all Nigerians demanding Kanu’s release and described the demand as “non-negotiable” for justice and the dignity of the Igbo nation. It warned Soludo that the Igbo people have a long memory and will judge political actors who trade collective interests for personal gain. The group ended with renewed calls for Kanu’s immediate release.