Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Igbo youths have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, or lose their support for his re-election bid in 2027.
The youths who addressed a press conference Tuesday in Umuahia the Abia State capital, vowed to vote against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, if Kanu remains in detention till 2027.
Members of the forum numbering over 300 from different states in the South’East gathered at Awka Hall Unuahia where they addressed a press conference before proceeding on a jubilant march on the streets to celebrate Kanu’s Kenyan court victory.
Ikengaonline had reported that a Kenyan High Court sitting in Nairobi, last week, declared Kanu’s abduction and extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria, “illegal.”
The Court presided over by Hon. Justice E. C Mwita, declared that “the abduction, incommunicado detention, torture, and illegal transfer of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 was unlawful, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights under Kenyan and international law.”
Faulting Kenyan Government and relevant agencies guilty over their roles in Kanu’s abduction and extraordinary rendition, the Court awarded compensatory damages of 10 million Kenyan shillings in favour of Kanu.
The youths described the Court judgment as “historic and a confirmation that Kanu did nothing to deserve unjust incarceration and continued prosecution.”
They urged President Tinubu to heed various pleas for Kanu’s release to give Ndigbo a sense of belonging, and restore peace to the South-East region.
President General of All Igbo Youth Forum, and former Deputy Chairman of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Honourable Chinedum Obilor (Fayose Ohuhu), who spoke on behalf of the youths, said Kanu’s release or continued detention would determine whether or not Igbo youths would support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Obilor bluntly told the President “not to be deceived by empty assurances by Igbo political leaders,” declaring that Igbo youths will not vote for him nor the APC if Kanu does not regain his freedom.
Hon. Obilor said that contrary to claims by Igbo political leaders, Tinubu’s fate in the South-East and other Igbo-speaking states in 2027 would be decided by the youths.
He said: “Our governors are deceiving you. Our senators and House of Representatives members are deceiving you. They claim to be in charge but they are not. We, the youths are the ones in charge of Igboland.
“Come and work with the youths. But if you fail, what happened in the last election will happen again.”
Obilor said “Kanu’s release is the highest need of Ndigbo,” adding that President Tinubu does not need to incentivise Igbo youths in 2027 to vote for him if only he would release Kanu for them.
“We want President Tinubu to release Kanu. If you do it, you don’t need to give us rice or money to vote for you in 2027. But if you don’t, we will negotiate with anyone willing to release him for us irrespective of his tribe.
“Mr President, please listen to Igbo youths. Our leaders including the late President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, and others pleaded for Kanu’s release but the Federal Government did not heed their pleas. We want you to listen to Igbo youths now. If you do it for us you will hear from us but if you refuse to do it you will equally hear from us in the next election.”
The youths warned Igbo politicians to stop using Kanu’s name for their political gains, insisting that such act will no longer be tolerated.
“Our political leaders have to listen to us because they are holding our mandate. And we can use our votes to remove them. We warn them to stop using Kanu’s name to play politics.”
Kanu has remained in solitary confinement at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS, since June 2021 when he was rendered to Nigeria.
