Fresh cracks have emerged within the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following a sharp disagreement between the group’s Directorate of State (DOS) and its long-time spokesperson, known by the pseudonym Emma Powerful, over authority, communication, and a planned sit-at-home order in the South-East.
On Saturday, the IPOB Directorate of State, through a statement signed by its Head, Mazi Chukwukadibia Edoziem, announced the discontinuation of the use of the pseudonym “Emma Powerful” for issuing press statements, citing abuse, misuse, and compromise of the name.
In a strongly worded response, Powerful stated that he was personally appointed by Kanu and remains accountable only to him. He described Kanu’s authority within IPOB as “supreme,” adding that the Directorate of Media and Publicity predates most other organs within the movement.
According to the DOS, the continued use of the pseudonym now poses “clear and present dangers” to IPOB and the Biafran self-determination struggle, stressing that certain individuals have allegedly deployed it to disrupt peace and security in the region.
The Directorate resolved that:
All official IPOB statements must henceforth be issued strictly on the organisation’s official letterheaded paper.
IPOB will no longer recognise or use the pseudonym “Emma Powerful.”
Any statement released under that name going forward does not represent the position of IPOB leadership or the Directorate of State.
The DOS also categorically denied authorising any sit-at-home or lockdown across Biafraland on Monday, February 2, 2026, urging the public to disregard such directives.
However, the IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, swiftly rejected the DOS position, insisting that no arm of IPOB has the authority to remove or disown him except the group’s detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Powerful maintained that the February 2 sit-at-home order remains valid, describing it as a one-off action in protest against what he called the “intimidation and humiliation” of IPOB supporters and traders, particularly at the Onitsha Main Market.
He also accused unnamed DOS members of holding a secret meeting with Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, allegedly assuring the governor that IPOB would not oppose actions taken against traders, a claim he said directly contradicts Kanu’s principles.
“Only one person appoints or removes anyone in IPOB—our leader,” Powerful declared, warning those unwilling to follow Kanu’s directives to leave the organisation.
The public exchange has further exposed deepening divisions within IPOB, raising questions over command structure, legitimacy, and control as the group continues to navigate leadership challenges amid Kanu’s continued detention.
