Governor Soludo should test Federal Government’s sincerity

Just about two weeks ago, Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo pleaded with President Buhari to release the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who had been in the Department of State Security detention since 29 July 2021, to him unconditionally. Governor Soludo made the appeal at the kick-off of campaigns by APGA for the 2023 general elections held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

Urging President Buhari to release Kanu in order to douse the 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 emphasized the need for a roundtable dialogue among all the stakeholders across the Southeast zone for peace and development in the zone.

Soludo said: “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 the future of the Southeast, and that person is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. I am calling on the federal government to please release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. 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 and I will have him here in Awka. Let us bring this insecurity in the Southeast to an end.”

In response, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami was quoted by the Nigerian Press as saying that the renewed call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release had not been invoked officially for the consideration of the Federal Government. Malami said: “There is no such request formally before the federal government or the judicial process. As of today, I am not in receipt of any application arising from the public statement made by the governor of Anambra State (Chukwuma Soludo), either through the judicial process or extended to me as the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). When a matter is pending before the court, the right channel through which any request or perhaps concession can be presented for consideration is through the judicial process. The renewed call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release has not been invoked formally for the consideration of the Attorney-General.”

This is a very important development that has created the opportunity for Professor Soludo and the other South East governors to resolve the rising tension in the region with the political expediency it deserves. It is a challenge they must accept with precision if they mean well for the youths and the future of Ndigbo now that they are in the position to declare their concern. Can Professor Soludo take the lead to see his effort come to fruition? Can he get his demand made through the law courts and copied the Justice Minister? What the minister is saying in effect is that it was not enough for Governor Soludo to simply mouth his demand. He should write it down to the minister through the law courts. That is not asking for too much. Backed by other South East governors, Governor Soludo should do this at least to test the sincerity of the Federal Government.

• Chief Sir Emeka Asinugo is a London-based veteran British-Nigerian journalist, author and publisher of Imo State Business Link Magazine (ROLU – Website: https://imostateblm.com)