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Sit-at-home: You can’t speak for IPOB when you are not a member, Emma Powerful replies Lawyer Ejimofor
Emma Powerful, the spokesman of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPIB, has reacted to the group’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor’s advise to residents of the South-East to ignore the Monday, February 2, 2026 sit-at-home declared by the group in solidarity with traders of Onitsha Main Market.
Onitsha Main Market was closed for a week by Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, following the traders’ non-compliance with his ban on the observance of the Monday sit-at-home in the state.
IPOB kicked against the development and told the traders to open their shops regardless of the governor’s order. But Soludo enforced the closure by deploying armoured tanks and heavily armed security agents to the market.
In response to the development, IPOB, in a statement by spokesman, Emma Powerful, ordered a sit-at-home across the South-East on Monday, February 2, to show solidarity with the Onitsha Main Market traders.
However, IPOB lawyer, Ejiofor, issued a statement to counter the directive, noting that the group had since jettisoned sit-at-home in the South-East. Ejiofor also questioned Powerful’s role in the organization, alleging that he has been compromised.
Reacting to Ejiofor’s statement on Saturday, Powerful said a non-member cannot speak for the group. Powerful also alleged that Ejiofor had been expelled from IPOB before now.
Stressing that IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu is the ultimate authority in the organization, Powerful explained that he (Kanu) established a chain of command in the organization which cannot be challenged.
Powerful said, “The chain of command in IPOB is not a recent invention. It is as old as the movement itself. A sacked lawyer and non member of IPOB cannot speak for the movement.
“Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu deliberately created structured departments to manage the affairs of IPOB in moments exactly like this. His word is final. What he says is law within IPOB. Anyone struggling with this basic fact is either new to the struggle or fundamentally undisciplined.
“The Directorate of Media & Publicity predates all Directorates except IT headed by Mazi Ofoma and Finance still headed by Madam Nnennaya Anya. If you do not understand this, then you lack historical grounding in IPOB. No newspaper, media house, or international platform publishes anything concerning IPOB without passing through the office of the Spokesperson. That is not arrogance; that is structure.”
Continuing, Powerful spelt out the role of IPOB spokesman. “As Spokesperson of IPOB, my duty is simple and clear: To communicate to the world the direction set by our leader. To help secure the release of our leader while keeping the movement resolute, disciplined, and uncontaminated in the collective effort to restore Biafra.
“IPOB is led by Onyendu as long as he lives. He appointed members of the Directorate of State (DOS) while in DSS custody, acting through his now sacked lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who has absolutely nothing to do with Onyendu nor IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. A sacked lawyer and non-member of IPOB cannot speak for the movement.
“If Onyendu could appoint officers and debrief lawyers from detention, it means his directives are supreme and not subject to debate or query. He made this position clear to Asia Rep that visited him last week on behalf of DOS. So there is no confusion whatsoever.
“Only one person appoints or removes anyone in IPOB — our leader. No committee, no platform, no noise on social media alters this reality.”
News
Supreme Court to rule on ADC, PDP cases Thursday
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
News
Tinubu to reconstitute NHRC board, retains Ojukwu as ES/CEO
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
News
Breaking: EFCC investigates Pastor Jerry Eze over alleged money laundering
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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