President Muhammadu Buhari has been encouraged by the South-East Caucus in the House of Representatives to use statesmanship and take into account a political solution to the problems involving Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
Members of the caucus called for political settlement of their differences with the IPOB leader, and they did so across party lines in a statement released on Tuesday in response to the recent Court of Appeal decision that freed Kanu.
The request was made by the South-East Caucus in a statement headlined “Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial: Time to Win Peace,” which was signed by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Deputy Majority Whip of the House, and Toby Okechukwu, the Deputy Minority Leader.
On Thursday, the Appeal Court cleared Kanu of the felony terrorism and treason charges that the Federal Government had filed against him.
Eight out of the fifteen counts brought against Kanu were thrown out by the three-judge panel of the Appeal Court, which overturned the Abuja Federal High Court’s decision.
The caucus said in the statement that it had taken note of the unanimous decision of the appellate court on Kanu as well as the Federal Government’s response through Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who stated that the government would investigate the legal options available to it and inform the public in accordance.
“It is a fact that the country is currently dealing with terrorism in the North-East; terrorism and banditry in the North-West; farmers-headers clashes and banditry in the North-Central; abductions and armed attacks in the South-West; restiveness and attacks by unknown gunmen in the South-East; and abductions, cult wars, vandalism of oil installations, and oil theft in the South-South region,” the lawmakers declared. Violent crime affects every area of the nation.
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“The sum of them has thrown the country into an unimaginable socio-economic depression.”
“For the South-East, the enforced sit-at-home order by anonymous gunmen due to Nnamdi Kanu’s detention, even after IPOB revoked and washed its hands off it, has resulted in the wanton loss of human lives, disrupted social and educational activities, and unleashed grave economic consequences on the region.
“It is a fact that the country cannot experience organic peace as long as any area of it is in conflict. In order to rebuild a peaceful and secure country where socio-economic and political activities may flourish unrestrained, non-kinetic strategies are just as important as kinetic ones, according to both global experiences and our national realities.
We feel that jaw-jawing is always preferable to fighting, the statement said. The National Assembly’s South-East Caucus decided to support a political resolution to the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu situation during its special meeting on September 15, 2021, and this serves to highlight that determination.
“In the communiqué signed by Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Leader of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly and former Deputy President of the Senate, and other leaders, we emphasised the need for constructive interface with relevant stakeholders, the Federal Government, and its relevant agencies towards finding a political solution.
The First Republic minister Chief Mbazuluike Amechi, who accompanied certain Igbo leaders to Aso, and other significant South-East individuals and organisations were supportive of the choice.
“The choice was supported by other significant South-East stakeholders and organisations, including the First Republic minister Chief Mbazuluike Amechi, who accompanied several Igbo leaders to Aso Rock to request Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release. During that time, President Muhammadu Buhari insisted that his administration would not interfere with the legal system, therefore the case should be allowed to proceed through the whole court procedure.
“As a result, we view the Court of Appeal’s ruling as an opening that should be taken advantage of in order to resolve the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu issue, establish long-term peace and normality in the South-East area, and foster national solidarity, healing, and togetherness. Such circumstances demand statesmanship.
“This is, therefore, a particular plea to President Muhammadu Buhari to reflect fatherly on this matter and toe the route of negotiated settlement with assurances on both sides; and we believe that Mr. President will not allow this genuine chance to achieve peace and write his name in gold pass by.”
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