Confusion in IPOB as family members , IPOB disown Kanu’s wife on change of lawyer

Businesses in Aba would be closed today for the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu who is due to appear in court today.
His group and family members have distanced themselves from his wife’s plan, Mrs Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, to change his lawyer, Mr. Vincent Obetta.
Deputy Director of IPOB, Mr. Alphonsus Uche-Mefor, who spoke from London yesterday said IPOB has not taken any decision to change Vincent Obeta as his wife’s lead counsel defending its leader who is standing trial on charges bordering on treasonable felony.
Kanu’s wife had, in a paid advertorial published in a national daily yesterday announced the change of Mr. Obeta who had been lawyer to Kanu with Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofo.
Mrs Okwu-Kanu had claimed that the decision to appoint a new lawyer for her husband was taken at a meeting of the IPOB held on January 9, at Forest Gate, East London.
But Mefor and Kanu’s brother, Mr. Kingsley Kanunta Okwu-Kanu, who also spoke from Germany, said they were at the said meeting and IPOB never took the decision to change Obeta as the counsel to its leader.
They insisted Obeta has, so far, done very well in the representation of Kanu in court, saying IPOB has no intention to change him now.
Also, in a telephone chat, Kanu’s siblings, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Chi Kanu, who spoke from their hometown, opposed the change of Obeta who they said has done well as Kanu’s lawyer.
“We are not against any lawyer coming from whatever group to defend Nnamdi, including Mr. Ejiofor, but, he must work in concert with Obeta who has handled this matter from the first day for the sake of continuity and to avoid confusion,” the Kanus said.
They expressed fear that the confusion which ensued in court last Octo¬ber, when another lawyer entered appearance for Nnamdi, which necessitated the presiding judge to adjourn the matter could repeat itself if any other lawyer appears in court today for the IPOB leader.
The siblings called on Ejiofor not to enter separate appearance in court for their brother, but if he loves Nnamdi and wants him freed, should work in tandem with Obeta who they said they still have unwavering confidence in.
In a related development, IPOB has ordered closure of businesses in Abia State today, in solidarity with Kanu.
Before issuing the order, members of the group, numbering over 5,000 converged on National High School, along Port Harcourt Road from where they took to the streets, and warned resi¬dents of the consequences if they disobeyed the order.
The IPOB members, who wore black attire with various Biafra insigma marched through the major streets of Aba, with placards, chanted war songs and demanded Kanu’s release.
Some members, who spoke with newsmen, said the order for the close of businesses today was part of continued efforts to push for the release of their detained leader who has been incarcerated since October 2015.
Sun