By Uche Amunike
The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo has called on the federal government to release the leader of the secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held in detention since 2021.
Speaking, during a Channels TV program, ‘Politics Today’, Thursday, Governor Soludo, stated that releasing Nnamdi Kanu would greatly contribute towards bringing about calm and peace in the region, before the general election kicks off next month.
He assured that he would follow up by sending an official letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami to make his request an official one, a few days from now.
He reiterated that insecurity was already a major threat and big challenge to the 2023 elections in the Southeast, explaining that stakeholders like Nnamdi Kanu were needed to be a part of the roundtable here security in the southeast would be discussed.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his quick approach to tackling security challenges that have been prevalent, not only in Anambra state, but also in the entire Southeastern region.
When asked to throw light on the piece he wrote on the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, Soludo stated: ‘I have just been elected the governor of Anambra State. I have travelled to several countries and served in the highest office. I am right now serving my people and I am concentrating on giving my people quality governance.’
‘My party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, is also contesting in the presidential race and we are vying to win. My party will be on the ballot and I have the right to campaign as vigorously as I can for my party and that is what I am doing.’
‘Our major focus is delivering on our plans of security, not just in Anambra, but the entire South-East and that is why we are calling for the immediate release of Kanu because he has to be part of the conversation.’
‘The AGF will receive a formal letter of our request for the release of Kanu in a few days time. It’s about the life and prosperity of the entire South-East. We want peace and transformation to return and we need all the stakeholders around the table’, he continued.
‘We have instituted a commission of inquiry in this conversation, but this is not enough if we do not have critical forces like Kanu around the table for conversation.’
‘We want the South-East to participate in this election and we need Kanu. We are saying grant him administrative bail and I am prepared to stand as his surety and to provide him whenever he is required’, he reiterated.
When asked to react to speculations that he was nursing a presidential ambition, he vituperated: ‘The possibility of being president is in the hands of God and only Him knows who will be alive to become whatever.’
