Lawyer Reminds Tinubu Of Campaign Promise Over Nnamdi Kanu
Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, a special counsel for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has asked Bola Tinubu to fulfil his campaign promise to negotiate with agitators in Southeast Nigeria if elected President.
Tinubu was sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th President on May 29 after he was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Ejimakor however told President Tinubu that he cannot negotiate with agitators – predominantly led by Kanu with the IPOB leader in detention. He said for Tinubu to negotiate with the agitators, he must first release Kanu from detention as it is unnatural to negotiate with a man in chains.
“Mr President: It’s time to fulfill your promise to NEGOTIATE the agitation. But it’s unnatural to negotiate with a man in CHAINS. The first step is to free the man. That’s how they negotiated with Mandela, Gandhi & Martin Luther. Mr President: Again, #FreeMNK,” Ejimakor said on his Twitter page on Monday morning.
President Tinubu while campaigning in November 2022 in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, promised that if elected, he would negotiate with the agitators.
According to him, the government wants peace and it cannot be achieved through conflict.
Tinubu had among other things said, “We want peace, we will talk to all agitators. You can’t get your wishes by conflict but by sitting round the table to complain.”
There have been several calls and demands by Southeast leaders including some governors and the apex socio-cultural organisation in the region, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, for the release of the detained IPOB leader, Kanu.
Kanu is being detained by the Nigerian government for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism. However, the IPOB leader was discharged and acquitted of all the charges against him by the Appeal Court in October 2022. The court also ordered his immediate and unconditional release from detention.
However, the authorities have yet to release the separatist leader.
