FORGIVE HIM! Lawmaker Visits Buhari, Asks Him To Forgive Nnamdi Kanu’s Mistakes
The lawmaker representing the Ikwuano, Umuahia North and South federal constituency, Obi Aguocha, has approached former President Muhammadu Buhari to advocate for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
During his visit to Buhari’s country home in Daura on Saturday, Aguocha extended an apology for Kanu’s actions, which have been a point of national contention.
“For the missteps, utterances, and ill gestures of the past, especially on the part of my constituent and brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I am deeply sorry,” Aguocha said.
This meeting follows a recent appeal on June 23 by about 50 members of the House of Representatives, who have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to facilitate Kanu’s release.
These legislators, under the banner of Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South-East, urged the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to utilise Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to secure Kanu’s release, highlighting a growing legislative push for a resolution to this longstanding issue.
In response, Buhari appreciated Aguocha’s efforts and expressed his openness to a political solution for Kanu’s situation.
Buhari’s stance reflects a potential shift, considering his previous statement in January, where he described the extradition of Kanu to Nigeria to face trial as a “favour” by the federal government, which had other more severe options at its disposal.
Kanu, a central figure in the call for the secession of the Southeastern region of Nigeria, was extradited to Nigeria in June 2021 after he jumped bail and fled the country.
He was initially arraigned on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement. Since his extradition, Kanu has expressed a willingness to negotiate with the federal government, seeking a peaceful resolution to the issues raised by the IPOB movement.
Relatedly, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, on Saturday, called on President Tinubu to release the detained leader of IPOB from detention.
Addressing journalists in Onitsha, Anambra State, Obi said there was no justification for the continued detention of Kanu, especially when the court had granted him bail.
He pointed out that the Government must obey the law because it is a valuable asset that must be respected.
Obi said: “Government must obey the law as the rule of law is an intrinsic asset that we must cherish and live with. And I have always said that I am going to discuss with every agitator. I plead with the government to ensure that all those who are in a similar condition are released and discussed with. We are a democratic nation and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law.”
