Renowned human rights lawyer and former lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on residents of Nigeria’s South-East to firmly reject any calls to boycott the 2027 general elections.
He described such a directive as a potential “tragedy” that the region must avoid.This comes after IPOB leadership, through its spokesman Emma Powerful, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government. The group demanded the immediate listing and hearing of the appeal of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is serving a life sentence.
Failure to comply, IPOB warned, would lead to a boycott of the 2027 polls across the South-East and other areas it refers to as “Biafraland.” The statement followed concerns from Kanu’s family about delays in the appeal process.
In a statement released on Thursday titled “Ala-Igbo at a crossroads: Jettisoning electoral boycott before it becomes another tragedy,” Ejiofor argued that any push for an electoral boycott, whatever the justification, must be rejected outright. He stressed that the people of the South-East should not allow old wounds to be reopened after the heavy sacrifices made to heal them.
Ejiofor questioned the wisdom of pursuing political goals through tactics whose highest costs fall on ordinary residents. He warned against turning participation in elections into something treated as an offence against the people’s collective interest. Surrendering the political voice of the region, he said, risks creating a silence that further weakens its interests rather than defending them.
He urged the use of legitimate constitutional, judicial, political, and democratic channels to address grievances instead. Ejiofor condemned directives aimed at inducing a boycott, particularly those issued without clear accountability to those who would face the consequences.
He maintained that the South-East is no longer available for experiments with destructive political approaches, noting that communities, the economy, and future generations have already endured enough hardship.
Patriotism and resistance, he argued, cannot mean weakening one’s own people or destroying their economic foundation.
He called on those who claim to speak for the region to protect its peace, strengthen its institutions, and pursue justice through lawful means, rather than risking further devastation.
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