Aloy Ejimakor says Igbo youths are boycotting political mobilisation, citing IPOB leader’s continued incarceration as the defining issue in the region.

The pro-President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “City Boy” movement, designed to galvanise support ahead of the 2027 presidential election, is struggling to gain ground in Nigeria’s Southeast, with growing apathy among youths linked to the continued detention of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel to Kanu, made the claim in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, arguing that the initiative has failed to resonate with young people across the region.

According to him, findings indicate that a large number of Igbo youths are unwilling to engage in any electoral process while Kanu remains in custody at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

“From my investigations, the City Boy movement quickly collapsed in the Southeast because the vast majority of Igbo youths are not interested in participating in any general elections as long as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is still in prison,” Ejimakor stated.

He described Kanu’s incarceration as the overriding issue shaping political sentiment in the Southeast, calling it “the big elephant in the room.”

The “City Boy” movement—reportedly backed by President Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu—had earlier moved to strengthen its foothold in the region by appointing Anambra businessman and socialite Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, as Southeast coordinator.

Despite the high-profile backing and strategic appointments, the campaign has so far failed to gain meaningful traction, reflecting deeper political tensions and disengagement among youths in the region.