Biafra: BRGIE elects Ogechukwu Nkere as Prime Minister, replaces Simon Ekpa

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) has elected Ogechukwu Nkere as its new prime minister, replacing Simon Ekpa.

Nkere’s emergence was announced in a statement released on Thursday, which disclosed that the decision was taken by the BRGIE cabinet on January 14, 2026.

According to the statement, Nkere was unanimously elected to succeed Ekpa, who has been relieved of his position following his imprisonment in Finland.

“Ogechukwu Nkere was unanimously elected by the cabinet of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) to serve as Prime Minister, succeeding Simon Ekpa Njoku, who was relieved of his position by the cabinet,” the statement read.

Before his formal appointment, Nkere had served as acting prime minister since December 2024, after Ekpa was detained in Finland. He previously held the position of BRGIE’s Minister of Finance and also served as the group’s long-standing representative in Washington, DC.

While in the United States, Nkere reportedly engaged with several U.S. government officials, including Senator Ted Cruz and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, in his role representing BRGIE.

The statement further noted that Nkere recently signed a lobbying agreement with Washington & Madison, LLC, an international services firm founded by longtime BRGIE lobbyist Elias Gerasoulis, a move that has attracted international attention.

Recall that Simon Ekpa, a Biafran separatist figure, was sentenced in Finland on September 1, 2025.