Chief Ikedi Ohakim, ex-Imo State Governor
By Tony Adibe
A former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has commented on the Federal Government’s appeal against the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Ohakim advised President Muhammadu Buhari to direct Nigeria’s Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, to withdraw the appeal against Kanu’s release. The former governor made the call while backing the South-East Senate caucus’s call that the Federal Government should release the IPOB leader immediately.
The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government had dragged Kanu before the Supreme Court for the Appeal Court ruling that discharged and acquitted him. Faulting the appellate court’s ruling, the Nigerian Government argued that Kanu once jumped bail. But Ohakim argued that the Abia State High Court had issued a judgment in favour of Kanu over the issue that he jumped bail.
In a tweet, the former governor wrote: “I join the SE Senate caucus in calling on Mr President to direct AGF Malami to withdraw the appeal the FG filed against the release of Nnamdi Kanu. The issue that Kanu jumped bail was resolved in his favour by the Abia State High Court judgment secured by @AloyEjimakor in Jan. 2022.”
However, Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, has urged Malami to inform Buhari of a past court judgment that Kanu did not jump bail. Ejimakor also urged Malami to inform the President of past rulings that stated that the IPOB leader was not a terrorist.
“Mr President: In 2018, a tribunal held that Kanu is not a terrorist. In January 2022, Abia court held he didn’t jump bail. In July 2022, the UN asked the government to free him. In October 2022, the Appeal Court discharged him. The hunter has become the hunted.
“This is what Malami should tell Buhari,” he tweeted.
