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 to 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.
“During his campaign in Imo State, the President promised that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu would be liberated during his presidency, but nothing has happened in nearly two years now.
“Sad enough, no South Eastern Governor confronted Mr President during his tour to the region about Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s infamous and illegal detention.
“It is now evident to everyone that our South Eastern Governors are the true source of insecurity in the South East, otherwise they should have pressed for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has a lasting solution to the insecurities in the region.
“Mr President being misled by the South Eastern Governors is on a path that can ruin his name and political ambitions in the region.
“God would appear in his time to expose the actions of the South Eastern Governors who in one way or the other benefited from Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s unlawful incarceration.
“We, as a group, are now urging all religious leaders to begin raising questions about Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is yet to be released.
“The utmost hypocrisy of Igbo politicians is to use the media to fool our people with frivolous promises that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be released. They have all failed Ndi Igbo and should not be re-elected should they continue to fool us and politicize Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release.”
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