The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dismissed claims that its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, did not approve or co-sign the Sokoto Declaration.

In an official statement issued on behalf of Kanu, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the claim that the Declaration is a “fraud flyer” Is false and a deliberate attempt to create confusion.

According to the statement, the documentary record shows that Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Esq, had publicly announced before its release that he was authorised by Kanu to disclose that Kanu had been working with Mike Arnold and that they drafted the Sokoto Declaration together.

“The published declaration expressly identifies ‘Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu & Earthshaker Mike Arnold’ as its joint issuers. Under the section headed ‘The Signatories,’ Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu is expressly identified as ‘Co-Signatory, Prisoner of Conscience, Sokoto’,” Powerful stated.

The statement insisted that those circulating claims that “nothing like that exists” are denying the existence of a publicly released document.

Powerful further clarified Kanu’s position on Biafra government claims, stating that Kanu does not recognise any government at this point in time.

“Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu has consistently maintained the position that the political future of Biafrans must ultimately be determined by Biafrans themselves through a free, fair and internationally credible democratic process following a UN-supervised referendum,” the statement said.

It added that until the will of the people is freely expressed, there is no legitimate Biafran government deriving authority from the people, noting that “agitation is not sovereignty.”

“People are free to agitate for the restoration of Biafra under whatever name, organisation, platform or banner they choose. But none of those acts, by themselves, transform Biafra into a sovereign state. Biafra is not yet sovereign,” the statement read.

The IPOB spokesman said the focus should remain on a referendum for Biafra as the pathway to self-determination, urging supporters not to be dragged into factional arguments over appointments into “imaginary government”. (The Sun, but headline rejigged)

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