The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a strongly worded response to recent remarks by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing his comments as “state propaganda, political blackmail, and a failed attempt to coerce Ndigbo into submission.”
Akpabio, who spoke in Enugu, had warned Igbo youths to shun armed struggle, stating that “state power will always overwhelm you,” while also suggesting political concessions, including the possibility of creating an additional state in the South-East and promises of inclusion.
However, IPOB, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said the Senate President’s remarks were not a genuine call for peace but a veiled threat aimed at the Biafra self-determination movement led by Nnamdi Kanu.
The group insisted that its agitation has never involved armed struggle, maintaining that its core demand remains a peaceful referendum to determine the political future of the people of the South-East.
According to IPOB, “a referendum is the most democratic expression of political will” and should not be misrepresented as violence or terrorism.
The organisation further argued that the right to self-determination is backed by both Nigeria’s legal framework and international law. It cited provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which affirm that sovereignty belongs to the people, as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which recognises the right of all peoples to freely determine their political status.
IPOB accused the Federal Government of deliberately mischaracterising its activities in order to justify what it described as repression and intimidation. It maintained that portraying its demands as militancy is a strategy to weaken the legitimacy of the Biafra agitation.
Reacting to Akpabio’s statement that state power would prevail, IPOB described the comment as an indication that the government lacks a convincing democratic response to its demands.
“When a government responds to calls for a referendum with threats, it raises serious questions about its commitment to democratic principles,” the group said.
The group also rejected the idea of creating an additional state as a solution to grievances in the South-East, describing it as inadequate and disconnected from the core issue of self-determination.
On the issue of economic disruption in the region, IPOB argued that the challenges facing the South-East predate the current agitation. It blamed prolonged militarisation, political tensions, and what it called the criminalisation of dissent for worsening the situation.
IPOB further alleged that actions taken against its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, including his arrest and ongoing legal battles, reflect a broader pattern of pressure aimed at weakening the movement.
Reaffirming its stance, the group emphasised that it is not seeking conflict but a democratic process that would allow the people to decide their future through a vote.
“IPOB is not asking for war. IPOB is asking for a referendum. IPOB is not demanding violence but consent,” the statement noted.
The group concluded by stating that no amount of political pressure, threats, or promises would compel it or its leader to abandon the call for Biafra, stressing that the decision ultimately rests with the people.