The IPOB has given the Nigerian government 14 days to list Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal for hearing or face a possible boycott of the 2027 election across the South-East and other parts of what the group calls “Biafraland”.
Mazi Chris Nwaogu, who heads the IPOB Directorate of State, issued the ultimatum in a video broadcast on Monday.
The statement adds fresh pressure to a legal battle that has already attracted growing concern from Kanu’s family and legal team.
The group wants the Court of Appeal to move quickly on Kanu’s appeal against his conviction and life sentence.
Kanu was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025. His legal team subsequently began the appeal process.
However, the case has not yet been listed for substantive hearing.
Kanu’s family has repeatedly criticised the delay. In August, the family said Kanu had written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal.
The family said he requested the immediate listing and hearing of his pending cases. It argued that prolonged delays had affected proceedings over his detention, conviction and life sentence.
Meanwhile, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, has also urged the Court of Appeal to set a date for his client’s pending bail application.
Ejimakor said the Federal Government had not filed its response to Kanu’s brief within the expected period. He argued that the delay should not prevent the court from considering the bail request.
The latest IPOB warning now links the legal dispute to Nigeria’s next general election.
However, an election boycott would depend on whether the group can influence voters across the affected areas. It also remains unclear how widely the proposed action would be followed.
For now, attention remains on the Court of Appeal and whether it will list Kanu’s case.
The dispute could therefore become a significant issue ahead of the 2027 election, particularly if the appeal remains unresolved.
