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

Governors under the umbrella of the South-east Governors’ Forum have resolved to meet with President Bola Tinubu to seek the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo and chairman of the forum, announced the resolution at the end of a meeting of the governors held in 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 Imo governor said the delegation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth secretary-general, Nnaemeka Achebe, and the Obi of Onitsha paid a solidarity visit to the forum.

Uzodinma said the forum has resolved to meet with the federal government to discuss the “pressing issues” in the south-east zone.

“The forum commiserated with the government and people of Abia state, Ebonyi state, Imo state, south-east Nigeria, and Chief Ogbonnaya Onu’s family on the demise of His Excellency, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu,” the Imo governor said.

“The forum received the delegation of the former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON, and His Royal Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe CFR, Obi of Onitsha, who came on a solidarity visit to the forum.

“The forum deliberated on the reviewed report of the south-east security and economic summit held in Owerri on the 28th of September 2023 and agreed to implement the aspects of the report pertaining to security and economic integration and affirmed its desire to put actionable plans on the key issues agreed.

“The forum resolved to visit Mr. President to discuss pressing issues concerning the south-east region.

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

BACKGROUND

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, 4,5 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 1,2,4,5 and 8 of the charge.