Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, has reportedly encouraged his supporters to become actively involved in Nigerian politics.
The message was shared by his lawyer, Maxwell Opara, during a radio interview in Imo State. According to Opara, Kanu believes political participation could help advance the interests of the Igbo people and support efforts toward his release.
Opara said that if more Igbos held political positions in Nigeria, lawmakers sympathetic to Kanu’s cause might have spoken out more strongly against his detention and legal troubles. He added that political engagement could help “build a new Nigeria.”
During the interview, Opara also announced his own entry into politics under the Nigeria Democratic Congress. He said he plans to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives representing the Ahiazu/Mbaise Federal Constituency.
He urged people from the Southeast to stop focusing only on complaints of marginalization and instead participate more actively in politics to address regional challenges.
Observers say this statement marks a major shift from IPOB’s earlier stance, which largely rejected involvement in Nigerian political systems. Analysts are now questioning what may have influenced this apparent change in strategy.
