The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected the alleged suspension and expulsion of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the faction led by Chika Edoziem.
The group declared the move unconstitutional, null and void.
It reports that IPOB made this known in a statement by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful.
The group said Edoziem and his members’ tenure had been terminated.
Powerful argued that Edoziem and members of the third administration of the Directorate of State (DOS) which was dissolved had no authority to take any action against Kanu as they had been removed from office before issuing the declaration.
IPOB asserts that Kanu, exercising powers conferred on him by the movement’s Code of Conduct, dissolved the third DOS administration headed by Edoziem and established a new leadership structure, the fourth DOS administration, led by Chris Nwaọgụ.
According to the group, any action taken by Edoziem and his associates after the dissolution of their administration was illegal as they no longer held any recognised office within the organisation.
“No one can derive any authority from an office which has already ceased to exist,” the statement read.
IPOB insisted that it is only the office of the Supreme Leader that is empowered under its governing laws to appoint, suspend, dismiss or dissolve principal officers and administrative structures in the organisation.
The power to appoint, suspend or dismiss principal officers “vests exclusively” with Kanu and can only be exercised by another official if expressly delegated by him, the group said, citing provisions of its Code of Conduct.
Based on that, IPOB argued that Edoziem’s group could not suspend Kanu, let alone, in the manner that it was purportedly done.
“The authority to appoint, suspend, dismiss or dissolve principal officials and administrative structures resides exclusively with the Office of the Supreme Leader. No Coordinator, Principal Officer, Directorate, Committee or collective body has any constitutional power to suspend, remove or overrule the Supreme Leader,” the statement said.
The group called the move against Kanu “foolish, delusional and a legal impossibility” under its laws.
IPOB further accused the dissolved leadership of gross insubordination, constitutional misconduct, abuse of office and attempt to usurp powers not granted to them under the code of the movement.
Members of the ousted administration instead took what the group called a path of rebellion against the authority from which they originally derived their legitimacy, rather than accepting their removal and turning over responsibilities according to established procedures, it said.
The movement directed its members worldwide to disregard all statements, directives, appointments, suspensions and administrative actions issued by Edoziem and members of the dissolved administration, stating such communications have no legal or organisational consequence within IPOB.
“The third Directorate of State is dead. The statement said “its tenure has been terminated by lawful authority, and its powers extinguished”.
The IPOB also warned media outlets to exercise caution in their reportage about developments relating to the group and to refrain from quoting individuals it no longer recognises as representatives of its official position.