Nnamdi Kanu: Igbos Not Surprised By Court Verdict — Abaribe

Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Thursday, decried the conviction and sentencing of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for terrorism, saying however that the outcome was foretold and not surprising.

In a statement to journalists on Thursday in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, the Senator described the life jail verdict on Kanu as a preconceived plot that is not surprising to the Igbo nation and other right-thinking Nigerians.

Abaribe said he had envisaged the verdict when the federal government refused to factor in pleadings to extend amnesty to the leader of outlawed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).

“Is it not an irony that negotiations and peace deals with rampaging terrorists in the North-East, North-West were gleefully initiated by the local government, states and federal government just like the amnesty to ex-militants in the South-South, who were rewarded with lucrative oil pipeline contracts. This is to say that justice in Nigeria is not for the South-East,” he said.

“So we are not surprised, our people can only endure and hope for a time justice in Nigeria would become the sine qua non. We have done our best, we have variously made the case for the authorities to be circumspect and at least accede to pardon for the sake of unity and inclusiveness”, he said.

Senator Abaribe nonetheless declared that the Igbo nation is now left with no other option than to place her fate squarely on the desk of President Bola Tinubu.

“We ask the Igbo nation and other lovers of Nigeria to remain calm, pray and not take the law into their hands.

“May Nigeria succeed, thrive and advance in Justice, Equity and Fairness”, Abaribe added.