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From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
In a revealing and emotionally charged interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu detailed his long-standing efforts spanning nearly a decade to secure justice for now jailed IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Speaking with host Seun Okinbaloye on Sunday evening, the former Abia governor revisited his behind-the-scenes negotiations with multiple administrations and the personal and corporate sacrifices he made, including how he nearly lost The Sun Newspapers for consistently publishing stories on Nnamdi Kanu at a time the Federal Government wanted him off the front pages.
Kalu anchored his responses on two theories he credited to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, and his younger brother, Mascot Uzor Kalu, insisting that the moment called for “sober reflection” rather than agitation or confrontation.
“I Worked With the Federal Government to Solve This Issue” – Kalu
Responding to Okinbaloye’s question on the legal, political, and moral implications of Nnamdi Kanu’s life sentence, Kalu said: “Like I told you, I won’t like to talk much about those issues.
“But Seun, I want to use two theories to respond as propounded by two Nigerians in the last 48 hours.
“One is from the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu; the second is from Mascot Uzor Kalu, my younger brother. Their theories are perfect. It is not time for noise-making or fighting, it is a time for sober reflection.”
Kalu, who has been involved in quiet negotiations with the Federal Government since 2016, reiterated that the solution to the crisis must be political.
“Let me tell you: I have been working with the Federal Government on how to solve this issue. Nobody should question Justice Omotosho because his decision is a judgment of the court.
“What we should be doing now is, as Nnamdi Kanu is going to the appellate court, we are using the political side to solve the problem. This is the area I know. I will be contacting the Attorney-General to advise the President and others on how best to solve this problem.”
How Kalu conditioned his entry into APC on Nnamdi Kanu’s release in 2016
The senator disclosed for the first time that he refused to join the ruling APC in 2016 until the Buhari administration agreed to release Kanu on bail.
“When I wanted to join the APC in 2016, may his soul rest late President Buhari and his DSS director found a way because I told them I would not join if Nnamdi Kanu was not released on bail to face trial.”
He explained that his demand was not about absolving Kanu of wrongdoing but about ensuring he faced trial without losing his freedom unnecessarily.
“The truth is, if you ask people to kill people, you must face trial. But I wanted him to be in his house while facing trial.”
Kalu revealed that the government even considered releasing Kanu to his personal residence, an offer he rejected.
“Even though they wanted to release him to my house, I told them no because where I live is sensitive. Release him to Umuahia.
“We worked hard. Alhaji Lawan Daura is alive; Malami is alive. They all helped to ensure he was released on bail.
“I cannot say more. I know the pressure I personally put on President Buhari before he was released on bail in April 2017.”
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“Over 30,000 Igbos were killed… Nobody talks about them”
Kalu, visibly emotional, lamented the human and economic losses suffered by the Igbo community throughout the crisis.
“Over 30,000 Igbos were killed. People with shops and people without shops lost everything. I used to manufacture and sell my products in Aba. I know the numbers and what we faced.”
He stressed that while security operatives who were killed are always acknowledged, Igbo victims seldom receive any mention.
“People talk about soldiers and security operatives killed by ESN, but many people lost their shops, and nobody talks about them.
There were over 30,000 Igbos killed, and nobody talks about them.”
“I was the first to visit him” – Kalu on his relationship with Kanu
Addressing whether Kanu should take responsibility for the fallout from the agitation, Kalu replied:
“I know my discussions with him when he was in detention. I was the first to visit him in 2016. I was the first that saw him when he came back from Kenya. The DSS are there.”
Kalu Reveals Buhari Attempted to Proscribe The Sun Newspapers Over Its Coverage of Nnamdi Kanu
One of the most striking revelations in the interview was Kalu’s admission that his media organisation came under direct threat because it continued reporting on Nnamdi Kanu.
“Remember, Seun, I own The Sun Newspapers. On four occasions, President Buhari wanted to proscribe the newspaper because it was the only paper supporting Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to him, the pressure was intense, but he refused to censor his journalists.
“The Federal Government then wanted Sun to stop putting Nnamdi Kanu on the front page. I am not for or against anybody. I am only for the free press. The press must be free!”
He described The Sun as a public trust and defended its independence despite political threats:
“The paper is not owned by Igbos, but I told the journalists working with Sun Newspapers that Sun is a public trust, write what you see.”
Kalu recalled that respected editors like Louis Odion, Femi Adesina, Eric Osagie, and the late Dimgba Igwe testified to his commitment to editorial freedom.
On the path forward: “We will appeal to the federal government”
When asked whether a solution exists to Kanu’s legal ordeal, Kalu maintained that political intervention remains key.
“They are appealing, and we will appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria. This is where we will interfere politically. We will appeal to the Attorney-General.”
He also condemned attacks directed at Justice Omotosho, who delivered the recent judgment.
“I never insulted the judge when I faced trial… You cannot rant in a court of competent jurisdiction. I take exception to it. Justice Omotosho is just a messenger of the court; he did his job. If you are not pleased, you go to the Court of Appeal and not insult the man in the court.”
