IPOB releases code of conduct, says Nnamdi Kanu has authority over DOS appointments

In the midst of the prevailing crisis in the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the group has released details of its Code of Conduct, stressing that it gave Nnamdi Kanu exclusive authority to appoint and dissolve the Directorate of State – the group’s apex administrative organ.

The crisis erupted after IPOB leader, Kanu, who is serving a life sentence in Sokoto prison after being convicted of terrorism charges by the Nigerian government, dissolved the 3rd Administration of the DOS led by Chika Edoziem. Kanu replaced him with a 4th Administration of the DOS led by Chris Nwaogu.

Reacting to the development, Edoziem released a statement saying that IPOB has suspended the Office of the Leader occupied by Kanu.

But IPOB, in a counter statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, dismissed Edoziem’s action, describing the alleged suspension as illegal, null and void.

On Saturday, the group published details of its Code of Conduct to back up its argument that Edoziem and members of the dissolved 3rd Administration of the DOS cannot legally suspend Kanu. It said Kanu, as leader of the group, has the exclusive authority to appoint and dissolve the DOS.

Edoziem had while announcing the suspension of Kanu as leader of the group said that no one person has the authority to dissolve the Directorate of State which is the apex leadership structure of IPOB.

The details of the Code of Conduct was released, he stressed, to finally address the controversy trailing the dissolution of the Edoziem-led 3rd Administration, in a statement issued by Powerful on Saturday.

“The Code of Conduct provides under Section II, Subsection A – Appointments and Dismissals: “The power to appoint, suspend or dismiss erring Principal officers vest exclusively on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu except and to the extent he clearly and expressly delegates that power to any other principal officer,” the statement said.

The statement says that once the “Supreme Leader” exercises the power of appointment, suspension, dismissal or dissolution, then every officer affected by that decision is under an immediate obligation to comply. It stressed that within the IPOB Code of Conduct, there is no constitutional procedure which empowers a dismissed officer to veto, suspend, delay, review or reject a decision validly taken by the Supreme Leader in line with his unique constitutional authority.

“Thus, the 3rd Administration’s period of office was over as soon as its dissolution was announced. Any further claim to office after that was no longer based on the IPOB Constitution but was a personal act carried out independently of the movement.

The problem before IPOB family members across the globe is not whether they approve or disapprove of the dissolution. “The question is whether IPOB Constitution is supreme,” the statement said.

The statement added that the appointments were temporary and performance-based as per the provisions of the Code of Conduct. Principal officers are appointed for an initial period of six months and may be renewed on the basis of satisfactory performance. Such appointments are voluntary and there is no salary or financial entitlement.

The dissolved 3rd Administration appears to have operated under the mistaken impression that its tenure was permanent and that the authority that created it lacked the authority to dissolve it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“It should also be noted that none of the members of the dissolved 3rd Administration is a founding member of IPOB. None were entitled to the offices they had recently held. “The statement continued: “They held those offices only by virtue of appointments made under the authority of the Supreme Leader.

The statement said the Code of Conduct is the supreme governing instrument of the pro-Biafra group, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Worldwide wishes to address, once and for all, the unfortunate and unnecessary controversy generated by the lawful dissolution of the 3rd Administration of the Directorate of State (DOS) by the Supreme Leader of IPOB, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Let it be known to all members of the IPOB family all over the world that the IPOB Code of Conduct is the supreme governing instrument of our movement. This is our Constitution. It dictates our structure, governs our actions, establishes our hierarchy and binds each and every one of us.

“There is no officer, department, coordinator, representative or administration above the Code of Conduct. IPOB was not formed by the Directorate of State. The Directorate of State was created by Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as an administrative organ of IPOB to help in the day-to-day running of the movement and to ensure continuity of operations across the world.

“Thus the DOS derives its existence, authority and legitimacy from the constitutional authority of the Supreme Leader and the IPOB Code of Conduct. It is not a sovereign body. It is not a coequal authority. It is not self-sustaining.

“An administrative structure created by the Supreme Leader under the Constitution of IPOB cannot legally claim independence from the constitutional authority that created it. To argue otherwise is to overturn the basis upon which the Directorate of State was founded.

“The simple question every IPOB member must ask is this: if Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had the authority to create the Directorate of State, by what logic does he lack the authority to dissolve, reorganise or reconstitute it?

“The answer is simple. The power to create is the power to reform, restructure, replace, or dissolve. The power that appoints has the power to remove. That is the law of the IPOB. “This is the Constitution of IPOB.”

The statement said the dissolution of the 3rd Administration is in accordance with the constitution and is binding on all IPOB structures across the globe and not subject to review. It also emphasised that the 4th Administration under Nwaogu has been duly constituted and is already up and running.

It said that any individual or group claiming to exercise authority under the dissolved 3rd Administration is doing so without constitutional authority and outside the framework of IPOB. Such conduct is a disciplinary offence under the Code of Conduct and will attract appropriate sanctions, the statement warned.