IPOB: We don’t believe in Peter Obi — we have nothing in common

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it does not agree with the political opinions of Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate.

The proscribed secessionist group said Obi is “playing the dirty Nigerian politics” and that it has nothing in common with him.

The group said this in reaction to Saleh Alhassan, national secretary of Miyetti Allah, who had said the promoters of IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu have switched allegiance to Obi.

Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesperson, in a statement released on Monday, said if the LP presidential candidate believes in the IPOB agitation, he wouldn’t be in the race to be the next Nigerian president.

“Peter Obi is involved in and playing the dirty Nigerian politics while we in IPOB play advanced internationally accepted politics targeting Biafra Referendum,” the statement reads.

“If Peter Obi believes in what we are pursuing he wouldn’t have come out in the first place to contest for Nigeria’s President. Nobody should drag or link IPOB with Peter Obi’s politics.”

The group said it does not share any ideological traits with the Obi campaign.

“IPOB has said it several times that we don’t know Peter Obi, we have nothing in common with Peter Obi and we do not agree with his political opinions. IPOB is a freedom-fighting movement and has nothing whatsoever to do with or in Nigerian politics,” the statement reads.

“IPOB is not interested in Igbo President or a Nigeria President from Biafra extraction. Our mission is simple.”