February 17, (THEWILL) –The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has come down hard on the five Southeast governors, accusing them of sabotage and a lack of commitment in securing the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, warned that the governors’ inaction would not go unpunished at the polls in 2027 if they failed to fulfill their pledge.
“The blatant inaction displayed by the Southeast Governors, who have chosen to metaphorically ‘play the ostrich,’ is both alarming and unacceptable. The electorate is watching, and there will be consequences,” the statement read.
Ohanaeze accused the governors of reneging on a commitment made during a public meeting in Enugu on July 2, 2024, where they had promised to engage President Bola Tinubu on Kanu’s release. However, the group alleged that some of the governors have deliberately ignored invitations to meet with the President on the matter.
“We extend our sincerest assurances to the family of Nnamdi Kanu, acknowledging their deep frustrations regarding the Southeast Governors’ failure to honor commitments made. The governors made a solemn pledge to engage with President Tinubu to secure Kanu’s release. Disturbingly, there are allegations that they have refused to respond to invitations from the presidency to discuss Kanu’s situation,” Isiguzoro stated.
Ohanaeze warned that if these allegations were confirmed, it would launch a thorough investigation to uncover the reasons behind what it described as a “cold-footed approach” by the governors.
“Their fear seems to stem from concerns about assuring President Tinubu that Kanu’s release will not threaten Nigeria’s fragile unity. It appears they are more worried about their political survival and re-election bids than the will of the people,” the statement added.
Drawing parallels with the ordeal of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who stood as surety for Kanu’s release in 2017, Ohanaeze said the governors must not allow past events to dictate their current actions.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo vigorously condemns the Southeast Governors’ evident lack of political will. Their hesitance to prioritize the interests of the people over personal ambitions is intolerable. Decisive action must be taken to secure Kanu’s release, rather than hiding behind imaginary fears of political repercussions,” Isiguzoro stated.
In a bold move, Ohanaeze announced that if the governors remained indifferent, the group would employ grassroots strategies to secure Kanu’s release.
“We are prepared to act where the governors have failed. Their continued silence is unacceptable,” the statement emphasised
The group further declared that its strategic support for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid would be contingent on Kanu’s release, arguing that freeing the IPOB leader would significantly reduce insecurity in the Southeast.
“Our support for President Tinubu in 2027 hinges on his commitment to releasing Nnamdi Kanu. The insecurity challenges plaguing the Southeast can be addressed with his freedom,” it said.
Offering itself as a potential surety, Ohanaeze assured the presidency that any arrangements made for Kanu’s release would align with agreed-upon conditions.
“We are willing to make personal sacrifices, including our liberties, to secure Kanu’s freedom. Let it be clear—our unwavering support for Tinubu is aimed at countering Northern conspiracies against his second-term bid. In return, we demand the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu for the Igbo nation,” the statement concluded.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
