Igbo youths put Tinubu in tight corner, use Nnamdi Kanu’s release as bargain power for his re-election

By KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTERS, South East

Because Kanu did not commit the alleged criminal offences against Kenya but Nigeria, many legal experts hold that whereas his arrest could rightly take place anywhere in the world, extraditing him to Nigeria for trial was the lawful thing the Nigerian government had done.

With the complicated cases of alleged terrorism hung around the neck of incarcerated leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group judicially pronounced as terrorist and so outlawed by competent Nigerian court, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been given conditions by some Igbo youths to choose between releasing and get their support or fail to lose same during the coming general elections of 2027.

Considering the nature of the offence committed against the sovereignty of the Federal Republic, Tinubu’s dilemma from conditions before him is that, he will have to choose between defending the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he swore to an oath to protect, without fear or favour, or compromise fall into infractions of the Constitution by playing the politics of his own re-election.

This is as the Igbo youths under the aegis of All Igbo Youth Forum told the President that to stop listening to their governors, who they say are not in charge but that he should listen to the youths by releasing Nnamdi Kanu to get their support or do not release him to see otherwise at the next election.

They said governors from the South East of Nigeria are deceiving the President and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as the youths from the region will determine the outcome of the 2027 presidential election and not the elected politicians.

The youths said this at a press conference held to serve the dial purposes of making this utmost demand for Kanu’s release and also to celebrate what they called the recent legal victory of the IPOB leader in a Kenyan court.

Coming out in their numbers of over 300 youths drawn from across the five states of the South East, they gathered in Awka Hall, Unuahia, Abia State, where they addressed the press and later set out on a jubilant march on the streets chanting solidarity songs.

Recall that a Kenyan High Court sitting at Milimani, Nairobi, on June 26, reportedly declared Kanu’s “abduction” and extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria “illegal.”

The Court presided over by Hon. Justice E. C Mwita, declared that “the abduction, incommunicado detention, torture, and illegal transfer of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 was unlawful, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights under Kenyan and international law.”

Finding the Kenyan Government and relevant agencies guilty over their complicity in Kanu’s ordeal, the Court awarded compensatory damages of 10 million Kenyan shillings in favour of Kanu.

The arrest of Kanu in Kenya followed interpol arrangement between Nigeria and any country from he was using his Radio Biafra to incite killing of security agents and notable Nigerian figures as well as commiting arsons against the nation with public assets being set on fire in parts of the South East.

After his arrest, the Nigerian government filed for him to be extradited to the country for trial. Like experienced in Nigeria, some persons, who have had complications securing his release through the Nigerian judiciary, went to a court in Kenya.

Because Kanu did not commit the alleged criminal offences against Kenya but Nigeria, many legal experts hold that whereas his arrest could rightly take place anywhere in the world, extraditing him to Nigeria for trial was the lawful thing the Nigerian government had done.

But the court in Kenya, a country not connected to the crimes Nnamdi Kanu was alleged to have committed, granted them a judgment that the Igbo youths are now celebrating as victory and are using to push for Tinubu’s consideration to release outlawed terrorist group’s leader.

Describing the court judgement as “historic and a confirmation that Kanu did nothing to deserve unjust incarceration and continued prosecution”, the youths appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to heed various pleas for his release.

President General of the All Igbo Youth Forum, and former Deputy Chairman of Unuahia North Local Government Area, Honourable Chinedum Obilor (Fayose Ohuhu), who spoke on behalf of the youths, said Kanu’s release or continued detention would determine whether or not Igbo youths would support Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He bluntly told the President “not to be deceived by empty assurances by Igbo political leaders”, declaring that Igbo youths will not vote for him nor the APC if Kanu does not regain his freedom.

Hon. Obilor said that contrary to claims by Igbo political leaders, Tinubu’s fate in South East and other Igbo-speaking states in 2027 would be decided by the youths.

He said, “Our Governors are deceiving you. Our Senators and House of Representatives members are deceiving you. They claim to be in charge, but they are not. We, the youths are the ones in charge of Igbo land.

”Come and work with the youths. But if you fail, what happened in the last election will happen again.”

Obilor said, “Kanu’s release is the highest need of Ndigbo”, adding that President Tinubu does not need to incentivise Igbo youths in 2027 to vote for him if only he would release Kanu for them.

”We want President Tinubu to release Kanu. If you do it, you don’t need to give us rice or money to vote for you in 2027. But if you don’t, we will negotiate with anyone willing to release him for us, irrespective of his tribe.

”Mr President, please listen to Igbo youths. Our leaders, including the late President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Chief Mbazurike Amaechi, and others, pleaded for Kanu’s release, but the Federal Government did not heed their pleas. We want you to listen to Igbo youths now. If you do it for us, you will hear from us, but if you refuse to do it you will equally hear from us in the next election”.

The youths warned Igbo politicians to stop using Kanu’s name for their political gains, insisting that such an act will no longer be tolerated.

”Our political leaders have to listen to us because they are holding our mandate. And we can use our votes to remove them. We warn them to stop using Kanu’s name to play politics”.

Tinubu swore to an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the country. The only only time will answer is whether he will breach his allegiance to the Constitution and choose his personal politics by releasing Nnamdi Kanu.