Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has urged the Nigerian government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Kanu is currently facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Speaking to reporters in Onitsha on Saturday, Obi emphasized that there is no justification for Kanu’s continued detention, particularly given that a Nigerian court had previously acquitted him, a decision later overturned by the Supreme Court.
“I don’t see any reason for his continuous detention, especially as the courts have granted him bail.
The government must obey the court. The rule of law is an intricate asset that we must cherish and live with. I use this opportunity to plead with the federal government to ensure that all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed,” Obi stated.
“We are in a democracy, and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law,” he added.
This is not the first instance where Obi has publicly called for Kanu’s release. In March 2017, the former governor of Anambra State urged the Nigerian government to free Kanu and to cease the use of force against Biafra agitators.
Obi also expressed deep concern about the escalating insecurity in the south-east and other parts of Nigeria.
He stressed that leaders must intensify their efforts to address the situation, warning that failure to do so could lead Nigeria towards becoming a failed nation.
“It is worrisome what is happening in Nigeria with the news of killings, abductions, and other vices that have made Nigeria one of the most insecure places on earth. In fact, it is leading to a failed nation. I commend the government for their efforts so far, but there is a need to do more, and all leaders must come together to join hands and fight this. In the South-east, there is a need for the governors to come together to be able to tackle it,” Obi said.
He further called for greater collaboration among South-east governors, not just on security issues, but also on economic development. “Even in economic agenda, I want to see the South-east governors work more closely. We want to see them come together and also bring together other groups in the zone,” he concluded.