[2] Early party leaders included Clemente Ateba, José Perea Epota, Antonio Eqoro, Jaime Nseng, and Enrique Nvó,[2] who was credited for starting the IPGE during his time in exile in Ambam.

Nvo's radical political ideas and his rise to power in sections of northern Rio Muni concerned Spanish authorities, who allegedly paid contract killers to assassinate him in 1959.

[1] The main goal of the movement was to unite Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon so they could gain independence through popular nationalism and progressive ideology.

[2] Two fundamental characteristics of the IPGE were radical and eventually Marxist ideology and their goal to unite Cameroon with Equatorial Guinea following gaining their independence.

The party gained support from members of the Bubis, such as Marcos Ropo Uri and Luis Maho Sicahá, the Fernandino Gustavo Watson Bueco, and the Fangs Enrique Nvo, Pedro Ekong Andeme, Clemente Ateba, and José Nsue Angüe, among others.

[citation needed] Half of the movement was in favor of a federation with Cameroon, but this decree was denied during the IPGE congress of August 1963.

[citation needed] In addition, Enrique Nvo also played a big role in the fight for independence, as he coordinated most of the communication with the United Nations.

[8] The Supreme Military Council opened Case 1/979 on 18 August 1979, and began interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence against the Macías Nguema government.

The charges for the ten defendants included genocide, mass murder, embezzlement of public funds, violations of human rights, and treason.