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•Make Kanu’s release New Year gift to Igbo-Elders
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has disclosed its frustration in its attempt to meet with President Bola Tinubu and discuss issues bothering their people.
National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, told Daily Sun that the leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation under the late President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, applied about five times to meet the president, but all was to no avail.
He said Igbo leaders would want to meet with the President, indicating that the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, would top their checklist to Tinubu this year.
“The Igbo want to come and see him. We have written letters to see him, he has not been able to give approval to that. It is when we see him, we articulate our interest and then other things will follow. Even when Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was alive (as President General), we wrote him more than four or five times. Igbo would like to meet him face to face to discuss the release of Nnamdi Kanu among other things,” the Ohanaeze spokesman said.
Relatedly, Abuja-based legal practitioner and social activist, Frank Tietie, has asked Tinubu to use the release of the detained IPOB leader as a New Year gift to the people of South East.
Tietie, who took to his verified ‘X’ account (formerly Twitter), yesterday, to push for Kanu’s release argued that it would be most auspicious to free him now, and not wait till 2027 to use it as political capital during campaigns.
“President Tinubu should consider releasing Nnamdi Kanu as a New Year’s gift. There is no need to wait until 2027 to gain the political support of the South East. Granting Kanu’s release could foster reconciliation on many issues and help de-escalate secessionist agitation,” he stated.
Also, the United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) Worldwide, appealed to the Federal Government to free Kanu as a New Year gift to Igbo and Nigerians.
This was contained in the group’s New Year message jointly signed by its Director-General, Justice Alpha Ikpeama and the Director, Media and Publicity, Prof. Obasi Igwe, in Enugu.
The statement also called for the release, exoneration and rehabilitation of Kanu, his colleagues, and other political prisoners in Nigeria.
According to the message, there should be no appearance of plea bargain or special conditions imposed on Kanu for his release, but should be freed together with others unconditionally.
“The Federal Government should be considerate to those expressing legitimate opinions on the direction and future of the country, which was what Kanu and his likes were doing,” the statement said.
The group stated that the release of Kanu and other political prisoners would put a stop to the cruel narrative that there is “war” in the east because people were fighting for his release.
