South-east governors to meet Tinubu over Nnamdi Kanu’s release

The South-East Governors Forum has resolved to meet President Bola Tinubu to seek the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the forum’s closed-door meeting at the Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday.

The governors at the meeting were Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Alex Otti of Abia, Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, and Peter Mbah of Enugu.

The Chairperson of the forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Uzodinma, who read the communiqué to reporters, said the forum also resolved to tackle insecurity in the South-east.

“The forum resolved to visit Mr President (Tinubu) to discuss pressing issues concerning the southeast -east region.

“The forum also resolved to interface with the federal government to secure the release of Mr Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.

The governors did not indicate when they will meet with Mr Tinubu over the release of the IPOB leader.

The IPOB leader was rearrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria after being on the run for a few years.

In April 2022, Binta Nyako, a judge, struck out eight of the 15 counts in the charge.

On October 13, 2022, the court of appeal quashed the remaining seven counts while the judge ordered Kanu’s release.

However, on October 28, 2022, the court of appeal granted a stay of execution on its verdict discharging Kanu after the federal government filed an appeal at the supreme court.

On December 15, 2023, a five-member panel of the apex court reversed the verdict of the appeal court and ordered Kanu to resume his trial before the federal high court.

On May 20, the judge declined a fresh bail application filed by Kanu, which prompted the IPOB leader to file a preliminary objection against the charge.

Kanu argued that the law upon which counts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 of the charges are predicated is “unconstitutional” and “has been repealed”.

He also argued that some of the counts were “not supported by proof of evidence and were otherwise an abuse of process”.

Kanu noted that the prosecution failed to state the place of commission of the alleged offences and the specific dates of the broadcasts alleged in counts 1, 2, 4, and 8 of the charge.

Meanwhile, The former senator who represented Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has applauded planned moves by governors of the South-East to meet with President Bola Tinubu in a bid to seek a political solution that will see to the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

While reacting to the moves, Sani took to his X handle to commend the governors.

“The South East Governors visit to the President over Kanu’s matter is a good and commendable step.

“Its an opportunity to explore a political solution. No price is too high for genuine and guaranteed peace. The nation cannot sleep well on a three-legged bed,” he wrote.