Ohanaeze Ndigbo has pleaded with Presidential Bola Tinubu to grant Presidential pardon to the detained leader Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Pan Yoruba activist Mr. Sunday Igboho as part of celebration of the nation’s independence anniversary.
They said that their release would heal many wounds and end the disintegration threats.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro noted the detention of Kanu by the federal government has been a source of tension and controversy adding that many Nigerians are questioning government’s inactions.
Isiguzoro explained that unconditional freedom of Kanu and Igboho would help to alleviate the threats of disintegration facing Nigeria urging the Federal Government to use the occasion of the 63rd Independence to demonstrate a commitment to unity and peace, in the spirit of the sacrifices made by the nation’s founding fathers.
The statement in part reads: The 63rd Independence Day anniversary of Nigeria on the 1st of October 2023 will be observed with mixed feelings. While the nation is celebrating its freedom from colonial rule, it also grapples with the ongoing tensions and political unrest within its borders”.
“Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, a Pan-Africanist and prominent Igbo leader, was one of the key figures who led the struggle for Nigeria’s independence. His efforts, along with those of other nationalists, were instrumental in achieving sovereignty for Nigeria”.
“The detention of Kanu by the Federal Government under the Tinubu administration has been a source of tension and controversy. Many Nigerians are questioning the government’s actions, particularly as they contrast with the lack of prosecution for Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho”.
“Both activists have been vocal about the need for improved security and economic conditions in Southern Nigeria, a cause that gained traction under the previous administration of President Buhari”
They pleaded for a Presidential pardon for both Kanu and Igboho, arguing that this would honor the sacrifices made by Nigerian nationalists like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello.
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