Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has reiterated his conviction that the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), can only be addressed through a political process.
During a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, following his public defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Mbah stated that his stance on Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration has remained unchanged since he took office.
He remarked, “It took just a week after I took office to meet with the President, and I was very clear when I spoke to the press that I raised the issue of Nnamdi Kanu with the President.”
Governor Mbah elaborated that he has consistently believed that a political resolution is the most viable solution to the issue.
“I firmly believe that the Nnamdi Kanu issue will be resolved politically,” he stated. “With this, I believe it is also an opportunity for the South-East to strengthen our position and advocate strongly for a political resolution.”
The Enugu governor urged stakeholders throughout the South-East to adopt the idea of a political resolution and to collaborate in forming a unified stance before approaching the federal authorities.
“First and foremost, we must accept that this is the right course of action,” he said. “Then, the specifics of implementation will need to be determined, as there will undoubtedly be details to address. It is not something that can be outlined at this moment, but we must first agree that this is the path forward.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has also condemned the extended detention of Kanu, labeling it as “an open sore on our nation’s conscience.”
Atiku has called for Kanu’s immediate release, asserting that his prolonged detention constitutes a serious infringement of the rule of law.
The leader of IPOB has been held in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition to Nigeria in June 2021.
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His detention has been surrounded by legal disputes, including several court orders that have granted him bail, which the prosecuting authorities have failed to comply with.
Currently, the IPOB leader is confronting a seven-count charge concerning alleged terrorist activities.
