Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has attributed the failure of the “City Boy” movement in Nigeria’s Southeast to widespread political disengagement among the region’s youth.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Ejimakor said his research showed that the pro-Tinubu 2027 re-election group failed to gain traction because many young Igbo people are unwilling to participate in any general election while Kanu remains in detention.
“From my investigations, the City Boys movement quickly failed in the Southeast because vast majorities of Igbo youths are not interested in any general elections that will be held while Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains in prison,” Ejimakor wrote.
He added that Kanu’s continued incarceration has become the dominant issue shaping political attitudes in the region.
“For them & for now, that is the #BigElephant in the room,” he wrote.
The “City Boy” movement had appointed popular hotelier and businessman Obinna Iyiegbu, better known as Obi Cubana, as its Southeast Coordinator. However, events organised by the group in Imo State failed to attract significant support, according to Media Talk Africa.
Kanu has been in detention since his 2021 arrest and extradition from Kenya. His case remains a flashpoint in southeastern Nigeria, with many youths viewing his release as a precondition for political engagement. The IPOB leader is facing charges of terrorism and treasonable felony, which he denies.
Political analysts suggest the City Boy movement’s inability to resonate in the Southeast highlights the enduring influence of the Biafran independence cause on regional politics. The movement’s focus on supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid appears to have clashed with the prevailing sentiment among many southeastern youths, who remain focused on Kanu’s fate and broader issues of marginalisation.
The development underscores the complex political dynamics in the Southeast, where separatist sentiments continue to shape electoral participation and political alignments.
