Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has stated that the world is waiting for Southeast governors and leaders to make progress on a political solution to secure Kanu's release. Kanu is currently serving a life imprisonment at the Sokoto Custodial Centre following a judgment by the Abuja Federal High Court.
Justice James Omotosho-led court had found Kanu guilty for crimes committed during his agitation for Biafra. Following his life sentence, some southeast leaders had appealed for a political resolution to secure his release. This appeal was made as recently as June this year, according to Ejimakor. The IPOB lawyer emphasized that any dialogue or political solution must emanate from a position of honour and utmost good faith.
Ejimakor clarified that public records show Kanu had made it clear from the beginning that any dialogue or political solution must be approached with sincerity and dignity. He stated that it lies with the government to initiate a conducive environment for a political solution. The lawyer stressed that a political solution can never emanate from a position of desperation or coercion.
According to Ejimakor, lessons were learned in September 2017 when a political solution seemed possible, but the government frustrated it by resorting to aggressive measures, such as the Python Dance. He noted that a political solution should be the standard and inevitable conclusion to every agitation or conflict.
The IPOB lawyer cited historical examples of colonialism, apartheid, war, unjust political imprisonments, and tensions between nations, which all ended with negotiations around a table. He emphasized that every political conflict ends with dialogue and a mutually acceptable resolution.
Ejimakor's statement comes as southeast leaders, particularly the governors, are expected to advise on the progress they have made on the political solution they initiated. The world is awaiting their next steps, and it remains to be seen how they will proceed with the matter.
The situation surrounding Kanu's imprisonment and the push for a political solution continues to be closely watched, both locally and internationally. The southeast leaders' response to Ejimakor's statement and their next steps on the issue will likely have significant implications for the region and Nigeria as a whole.
Key points
- The world is waiting for southeast leaders to make progress on a political solution to secure Nnamdi Kanu's release.
- Any political solution must be holistic and bear the basic elements of sincerity and dignity.
- A political solution should be the standard and inevitable conclusion to every agitation or conflict.
