Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking in Onitsha on Saturday, Obi emphasized that there is no justification for Kanu’s continued detention, noting that a Nigerian court had previously acquitted him, although this decision was 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,” said Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, during a press briefing.
“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.
” We are in a democracy, and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law.”
This is not the first time Mr Obi has publicly called for the release of Mr Kanu.
The former governor, in March 2017, asked the Nigerian government to release the IPOB leader and stop the use of force in fighting Biafra agitators.
Obi lamented the rising insecurity in the south-east and other parts of Nigeria, saying leaders should double their efforts in tackling the situation.
He expressed fear that if nothing was done to address Nigeria’s insecurity, the country might slide into 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 the 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,” he said.
“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.”
