- South East Governors have been told not to bother asking for a renewal of mandate in 2027 if the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, did not regain his freedom before the next general election.
Concerned Igbo Ministers who issued the threat in an open letter to the Governors accused them of not doing enough to secure Kanu’s release despite making it a campaign issue.
The Ministers also expressed disappointment that Igbo leaders could not raise Kanu’s matter before President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, during his recent visit to Enugu.
They further accused President Tinubu of playing politics with Kanu’s continued incarceration, wondering why it is taking him long to honour his promise during the campaigns to release Kanu if elected President.
Arguing that “Kanu’s continued detention is an outright humiliation to Ndigbo”, the Ministers urged the President to heed the pleas from eminent Nigerians for Kanu’s release.
Concerned Igbo Ministers, in a statement signed by the President General/ International Coordinator, the Rev. Tony Uzo Anthony; and Secretary General, Apostle Tony Osuji, expressed displeasure over the President’s reluctance to release Kanu.
They challenged the President and South East Governors to demonstrate that they were genuinely committed to the restoration of peace
the South East by releasing Kanu whose continued detention, they claimed, was fuelling insecurity in the region.
The open letter sighted by Vanguard in Abia read:”It is now evident that Mr. President and the South Eastern Governors took an oath not to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Last week, the Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu revealed their deal with Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, with the approval of his father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.