Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari (left) with Anambra State governor, Prof Charles Soludo
By NewsBits
The Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021.
Soludo made the call in Awka, the state capital, during the campaign kick-off of the All Progressives Grand Alliance on Saturday. He specifically appealed to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to release Kanu unconditionally and immediately.
Addressing the mammoth crowd of supporters and party faithful, the governor added that if the detained IPOB leader cannot be released unconditionally, he should be released to him, saying he was ready to stand surety for him.
Soludo said: “I am making a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. If he cannot be released unconditionally, I want him released to me and I will stand surety for him.
“We need Nnamdi Kanu in the roundtable conversation to discuss the insecurity in the South-East. We must end insecurity in the Southeast, and we need Nnamdi Kanu to be around.”
Soludo promised to cater for Kanu, and also offered to bring him to the authorities any time he was required. He noted that Kanu could not be in prison custody while the issues of insecurity are being discussed in the entire South-East.
He further said: “We need him around the discussion table, we need him to discuss the future of the South-East. If the Federal Government cannot release him unconditionally, I now offer myself to ask the Federal Government to release him to me.
Anambra State governor, Prof Charles Soludo (left) with the detained IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu
“I will provide him anytime he is needed. I will house him here in Awka. We need him released to end insecurity in the Southeast. We need him to have true conversation about Nigeria. We believe in Nigeria, and we are Nigerians.
“We, some time ago set up the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to find out the root cause of insecurity in the Southeast and they have almost concluded their assignment. But this issue of insecurity cannot be well addressed without bringing to the table the key players in this matter.
“We have applied the kinetic and non kinetic approach to fighting insecurity in the Southeast, but the non kinetic approach cannot be complete without the Federal Government releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We must bring him to the table because we need him to be part of this process and I call on the Federal Government to release him to me and for us to have a comprehensive discussion for the fate of the Southeast.
“If we cannot release him based on the court process, I here by offer myself as the surety for his release and whenever you want him, I will hand him over to you
“We shall provide him shelter and give him home and we make this plea in the true belief in the spirit of peace in the Southeast.”
Soludo described APGA as the first registered political party in Nigeria with the name progressives, adding, “Anambra is the home of APGA, and the home of progressives and we call on Nigerians to vote APGA all the way.
“We are progressives and that is why we allowed other political parties and their candidates to come here to campaign because the state believe in a level playground for all and sundry to campaign which some people while they were here did not do.”
The presidential candidate of APGA, Justice Peter Umeadi (retd), described himself as the most qualified candidate to lead the country, adding that his administration as President would unify the country.
Umeadi also said that he was the most transparent person among the candidates contesting for the post of the president of the country. The APGA presidential candidate said that since he became the APGA’s candidate in June last year, he had traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria canvassing for votes.
He assured Nigerians that he had a realistic manifesto that will address true federalism, agricultural revolution, education, sports and culture, healthcare delivery, knowledge-economy, human security, transport and communication, women, youth, children and disabled, environmental impact assessment and census in Nigeria.
A former governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, described APGA as the party to beat, adding that the party would sweep the polls come February 25.
“We have had 21 over 21 and we have had 19 over 21 and this time, it is going to be 21 over 21,” he added.
At the rally, the party handed over the flags of the party to the governorship candidates of the party in Delta, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Adamawa and Abia states as well as the state and National Assembly candidates of the party.
