Anambra State Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to release leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to him unconditionally.
Soludo who emerged as national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) a few days ago to replace the his predecessor, Chief Willie Obiano, made appeal at the kick-off of campaigns by APGA for the 2023 general elections held at the Alex Ekwueme square, Awka, yesterday.
Urging President Buhari to release Kanu so as to douse tension and insecurity prevailing in the South East region arising from his continued detention, Soludo promised that he was ready to sign as surety for Kanu’s release, and make him available whenever and wherever he would be needed by the federal government.
He emphasised the need for a roundtable dialogue among all the stakeholders across the Southeast zone for peace and development in the zone.
He also called on the federal government for the support in the provision of kinetic and non-kinetic equipment for dealing with the insecurity in the area.
“I now want to appeal, plead, request and demand of the federal government and our able President Buhari that a critical person requires around the table for that conversation to be complete and for us to have an all round approach to dealing with the issue of insecurity and future of the Southeast, and that person is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“I am calling on the federal government to please release unconditionally Nnamdi Kanu. We need him around for a roundtable discussion about the insecurity in the Southeast and the state. We now want to have heart to heart discussion about the future security and prosperity of the Southeast. No one should be lagging behind, everybody would be there.”
“If he cannot be released unconditionally as requested by the court judgment and so on I now offer to be the surety, release him to me, and I promise to protect him, provide shelter for him and I will provide him anytime he is needed. Release him to me I will have him here in Awka. Let us bring this insecurty in the Southeast to an end,” Soludo said.
He commended the federal government for the completion of the second Niger Bridge and other laudable projects in the Southeast, and drew the attention of the federal government to the remaining bad portions of Onitsha-Awka-Enugu expressway which work had been either delayed or stopped for a long time.
He explained that a peaceful, prosperous and progressive Nigeria is possible under APGA which has the desire for a well structured and true federalism as its vision for a united nation.
In his speech at the event, the presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Peter Umedj, pledged to ensure massive agricultural revolution, improved healthcare delivery system, qualitative education, security of lives and property, social welfare scheme and infrastructural development for the country if elected.
