President-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Maxi Okay Nnabuike, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to honour his earlier stance on the ongoing trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
He revealed that President Buhari had consistently stressed that Kanu’s fate would be decided by the judiciary. This was made known through a release made available to newsmen, signed by Nnabuike.
According to him, responding to appeals by traditional, religious and political leaders in the region for the release of the detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the president had stated:
‘‘I have listened carefully to the various appeals from the elders and the traditional leaders regarding a wide range of options, and as I have said previously this matter remains in the full purview of the courts where it will be properly adjudicated.”
It will be recalled that the IPOB leader was discharged by the Court of Appeal last week. Nnabuike, therefore, called on President Buhari to show leadership by respecting his words and act in accordance with the law of the land.
“It is a source of worry that the Buhari-led presidency is foot-dragging in obeying the Appeal Court’s order on Nnamdi Kanu. Recall that Igbo leaders, including the international community had at several times asked the President to apply political solution to Kanu’s case, but he said the court would decide on that. Now that the court has ruled in Kanu’s favour, the supposed chief law officer of the federation, Abubakar Malami is busy deceiving the government.
“We ask Mr President to show leadership, he should respect the rule of law; for the federal government of Nigeria to disobey valid orders of court is sending the wrong signal to the citizens and the international community.
“The president should without hesitation order the DSS to comply with that order and free Kanu in order to ensure total peace and security in the South-East and the South-South,” he said.
