The Apex Igbo Socio-Cultural Organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has issued a statement condemning the role of certain Southeast leaders in delaying the release of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The organization stated that self-serving political ambitions among some Southeast Governors and a former Governor are at the heart of the prolonged detention of the separatist leader.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze Ndigbo alleged that while these leaders publicly advocate for Kanu’s release, they are secretly discouraging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from taking action.
The organization accused two Governors in particular of prioritizing their bids for the 2027 Vice Presidential nomination over the welfare of their constituents.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo warned about the dire consequences of this duplicity, pointing to the persistent violence and insecurity in the Southeast.
The organization accused the implicated Governors of exploiting the region’s security crisis to secure inflated security votes while neglecting the suffering of the people.
The statement further criticized the failure of Southeast Governors to collectively approach President Tinubu with assurances and commitments necessary to facilitate Kanu’s release.
“After five months of inaction, it is crucial to ask: Why did they fail? Their inability to act exemplifies a disturbing disconnect from the realities faced by our people,” the statement read.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo also raised concerns about alleged attempts to manipulate the organization’s leadership structure ahead of the January 2025 elections.
The group claimed that efforts are underway to project an individual from Imo State as a representative of Rivers State to influence the candidacy for the President-General of Ohanaeze.
The organization warned that such moves are part of a broader scheme to consolidate power for personal political ambitions, undermining the collective interests of Ndigbo.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo also expressed outrage over recent comments by a Southeast Governor suggesting that Kanu’s release would not solve the region’s insecurity.
The Governor allegedly proposed confining Kanu to the State Government House as a solution, a statement Ohanaeze described as insincere and dismissive of the real issues affecting the region.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, however, commended Governors exploring innovative solutions, such as granting amnesty to repentant criminals, to address insecurity.
The group assured the public that clandestine negotiations are underway to secure K
