Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, a business man and politician, Sunday, said he would use his good offices as president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide to effect the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, so that he doesn’t die in prison custody.
Kanu’s fate is hanging at the Supreme Court following the stay-of-execution appeal by the federal government against his discharge and acquittal by the Court of Appeal last October. He is being tried over alleged running a proscribed group, jumping bail and treason. He was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, and brought to Nigeria in 2021, and since then has been in the custody of the Department of State Services.
Chief Iwuanyanwu made the promise after he was ratified as the substantive president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the Imeobi Ohanaeze, which is the highest decision-making body of the pan-Igbo group. The ratification held at the old Government Lodge, Enugu, in a ceremony attended by governors of South-East states, Mr Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, among others.
Iwuanyanwu promised to defend the Igbo race in his new assignment, including tackling the insecurity bedevilling the South-East region. According to him, releasing Mazi Kanu would propel the restoration of peace in the region.
In his words, “Nnamdi Kanu is very crucial for any discussion, and it is not possible to negotiate any peace while Nnamdi Kanu is in prison.
“There is also a report that his health is deteriorating. I feel it is important that he is released to have access to his medical doctors so that he does not die in prison.”
Chief Iwuanyanwu, who recalled that on three occasions he vied for the president of Nigeria, equally made a case for the creation of an additional state in the South East to bring the region at par with other zones of the country.
According to him, “Several political conferences have recommended the creation of an additional state in the South East to bring the number of states to six. So far, this has not been actualised.
“I will make sure that during my tenure, an additional state is created for the South East.”
