Don’t Abandon Or Forsake Nnamdi Kanu — Senator Anyanwu Begs Igbo Leaders

Former Nigerian Senator Samuel Anyanwu on Sunday called on the Igbo leaders and south east governors not to turn their back on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who was abducted in Kenyan and extradited to Nigeria. Senator Anyanwu made this appeal on Sunday in Owerri, while speaking to newsmen on the arrest and detention of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The Senator who represented Imo East Senatorial District said the Igbo Leaders should learn from the Yorubas who stood against the arrest and planned extradition of one of their very own, Sunday Igboho, from the Benin Republic to Nigeria.

Senator Anyanwu insisted that Nnamdi Kanu is still innocent until he is convicted by a competent court of jurisdiction.

According to his words; “Despite the arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, which has been described as controversial, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains innocent of the whole allegations leveled against him by the Federal Government until a competent court of higher jurisdiction proves otherwise.

“I appealed to Igbo leaders and south east governors not to shy away from identifying with him, maintaining that so far, no court in the land has convicted him of any offence and as such, should not be abandoned.

“We, therefore, urged the Igbo leaders to toe the same line of action the Yoruba leaders adopted in defending their very own, Mr Sunday Igboho, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest should not scare anyone away from speaking against the marginalization of the Igbos by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”

He maintained the stand that; “When the Igbo begin to desert their own to incarcerate and languish in prison, strangers will seize to accord respect to them. All hands must be on deck irrespective of political affiliations to ensure the speedy release of one of our own. As an Igbo man, no way shall we deny him even if convicted.”

The Senator, who represented Imo East Senatorial district, has also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to respect the Igbos by allowing them to enjoy the same equal rights with other regions of the country. Senator Anyanwu while speaking in Owerri, on the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by the Nigerian government.

He said that he was not happy that the federal government was not showing concern for dialogue in order to address the numerous agitations in the country. According to the words of Senator Anyanwu and I read; “As Nigerians are waiting for the outcome of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s trial, the entire world is equally watching carefully if fair hearing and laid down legal processes will be seen to have been applied.

“We, therefore, cautioned any political office holder making inciting statements or mocking the South East over the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to desist and allow the law to take its cause, warning that such comments are capable of creating the crisis.”

“It is unnecessary for any person occupying a position of trust to spark off another security tension now that the masses are coming out from similar challenges a few months ago. My candid advice is for all regions in Nigeria to respect the South-East not as a tribe but as one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria.

“Igbo people are not crying for peace, but for equal rights and justice in Nigeria, adding that until genuine dialogue is put in place, the call for one Nigeria will be a tall dream,” Senator Anyanwu warned.