By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
A
chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has enjoined President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately release the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in honour of the 93 year first republic Aviation Minister, Mbazulike Amechi, who led a delegation of Igbo leaders to the presidential Villa to make the demand last Friday.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Osita Okechukwu, who is also the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), appealed to IPOB to support Nigeria President of Igbo extraction 2023 project.
“I join, Ohaneze Ndigbo, eminent constitutional lawyer and Chairman, Igbo Leaders of Thought, Prof Ben Nwabueze, and people of goodwill nationwide in commending President Muhammadu Buhari for accepting to consider the release of held leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.”
“I also appeal to IPOB to support Nigeria President of Igbo extraction 2023 project. Methinks IPOB support will kill two birds with one stone.” Okechukwu submitted.
It could be recalled that Igbo leaders led by the first Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazuluike Amaechi, had visited President Buhari in Aso Rock at the weekend, where they requested the president to release the IPOB leader, who was intercepted in Kenya in June this year. Kanu had fled Nigeria in 2017, jumping bail after his Afaraukwu home in Abia State was invaded by soldiers. He is being tried of treason.
Mr President said during the visit that, “You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious. In the last six years since I became president, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary. …. I said that the best thing was to subject him to the system. Let him make his case in court, instead of giving very negative impressions of the country from the outside. I feel it’s even a favour to give him that opportunity.”
Asked if IPOB support for Nigeria president of Igbo extraction 2023 project is a precondition, for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Okechukwu said Capital No.
“Capital No, it is not a precondition, all am saying is that Mr President and host of other Nigerians are silently in support of Nigeria president of Igbo extraction 2023 project, but are weary and reticent of IPOB stance. Therefore, in my little opinion, IPOB support of our project will kill two birds with one stone.” Okechukwu quipped.
Prodded further, Okechukwu explained that one stone is the release of Mazi Kanu, another is the return of economic activities in our geopolitical zone and thirdly IPOB support will no doubt rekindle wider support of Nigeria president of Igbo extraction 2023 project.
“My understanding of IPOB agitation is to end Igbo marginalization; if that’s the case then our 2023 Nigeria President of Igbo extraction will be the end of the civil war. Nigerians are waiting for IPOB to change gear”, the statement said.
