Igbo youths have openly challenged the political establishment, declaring that President Tinubu’s 2027 electoral prospects in the Southeast hinge solely on freeing IPOB’s Nnamdi Kanu. At a packed Awka Hall rally in Umuahia, the All Igbo Youth Forum dismissed regional governors and senators as “irrelevant,” asserting youth dominance over Igbo politics.
The rally followed Kenya’s High Court ruling that Kanu’s 2021 abduction violated international law. Hon. Chinedum Obilor, a former Umuahia council leader, accused Igbo politicians of deceiving Tinubu: “They claim control, but we decide elections. Release Kanu, and you won’t need to bribe us with rice.”
Obilor further threatened electoral realignment with “any tribe” committed to Kanu’s release, referencing the APC’s poor 2023 Southeast performance as a precedent. The group also cautioned politicians against exploiting Kanu’s detention for personal gain, vowing to “reclaim mandates through votes.”