The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has threatened to mobilise voters across the South-East and other parts of Nigeria against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election if the Federal Government fails to secure the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The group warned that Tinubu could suffer a major political setback in the South-East if Kanu remains in prison during the election, insisting that his continued incarceration could undermine the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s chances of securing significant electoral support in the region.
The National President-General of OYC, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, made the position known in a statement issued on Friday, November 13, 2026, following an official visit to Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
Igboayaka described Kanu as one of the most influential political figures in the South-East, arguing that the IPOB leader enjoys considerable loyalty among sections of the Igbo population, particularly young people, because of his agitation for the political interests and self-determination of the region.
He likened Kanu’s influence to that of the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, describing him as another prominent Igbo figure who has won the hearts of many people through his consistent advocacy for what he called the political survival of the South-East and South-South.
The OYC leader argued that it would amount to a serious political miscalculation for Tinubu to expect substantial electoral support from the former Eastern Region in 2027 without addressing the circumstances surrounding Kanu’s continued detention.
According to him, granting Kanu freedom through a political solution would provide an opportunity for national healing, reconciliation and improved relations between the Federal Government and communities in the South-East.
He maintained that Kanu’s popularity among Igbo youths and other sections of the population remains a significant factor that political leaders seeking electoral support in the region cannot afford to ignore.
Igboayaka also cautioned South-East governors and other prominent political stakeholders against campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election while Kanu remains incarcerated, warning that they could face political consequences from their constituents.
He specifically mentioned Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, alongside former Ebonyi State Governor and Minister of Works, David Umahi.
The OYC president-general argued that these political leaders risk losing the confidence and support of their people if they openly canvass votes for Tinubu’s second-term ambition without first demanding Kanu’s release.
He further claimed that no political leader in the South-East currently commands the level of loyalty and political influence that Kanu enjoys among sections of the Igbo population.
Calling on the Tinubu administration to reconsider its approach to the agitation for Biafra self-determination, Igboayaka urged the Federal Government to prioritise dialogue, negotiation and political engagement rather than relying on court proceedings, intimidation, harassment and imprisonment.
He insisted that prolonged incarceration would not resolve the grievances fuelling the agitation, arguing that meaningful dialogue remained a more effective pathway towards addressing the crisis and promoting national reintegration.
Issuing a direct warning to Tinubu, APC stakeholders and political leaders in the South-East, the OYC leader declared that the organisation would mobilise opposition against the President’s re-election if Kanu remained in prison during the 2027 general election.
“There’s no going back in 2027,” he declared.
He further challenged the governors and other political stakeholders to consider the potential electoral consequences of supporting Tinubu while the IPOB leader remains incarcerated.
“We therefore challenge Gov Hope Uzodimma, Gov Charles Soludo, Gov Francis Nwifuru, Gov Peter Mbah, Sen. David Nweze Umahi and other APC stakeholders that if Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains in prison during the election, Ndigbo all over the 36 States of Nigeria and the globe will teach Bola Ahmed Tinubu a hard political lesson at polling units across Nigeria,” Igboayaka stated.
The threat comes amid sustained political debate over Kanu’s imprisonment and growing calls from various individuals and organisations for the Federal Government to consider a political resolution to the prolonged agitation for Biafra.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council maintained that Kanu’s release would represent an important step towards reconciliation, national unity and restoring confidence between the Federal Government and communities in the South-East, warning that the issue could become a major factor in determining the region’s political direction ahead of the 2027 presidential election.