THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to stop using its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as a bargaining chip for his election.
IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, issued the warning in a statement on Wednesday, February 1.
This warning was in response to a recent statement by the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Obiora Okonkwo, that Atiku would release Kanu unconditionally if he is elected.
Kanu’s international spokesperson and American counsel, Bruce Fein, had earlier called on Atiku, Bola Tinubu, and Peter Obi to promise to free the self-determination leader from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) if any of them become Nigeria’s next President in May.
Reacting to Okonkwo’s statement, IPOB stated that the PDP should demand Kanu’s release by the Federal Governmentinstead of using it as a campaign strategy.
The pro-Biafra group warned that Kanu should not be used as a political bargaining chip for the Nigerian election.
The statement noted that Kanu has been judicially declared innocent and should therefore be released from the “illegal” detention by the Nigerian government.
“IPOB leadership wishes to state that its leader should on no account be used as a political bargaining chip for Nigerian election,” the statement said.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been judicially declared an innocent man and that follows that he must be released from his continued illegal detention and torture by this present government of APC.
“We do not expect anything contrary but that the judgment of the Court of Appeal is implemented.”
The statement added that IPOB’s demand for a self-determination referendum remains consistent, regardless of who is in power.
The statement also stated that the right to self-determination is inalienable and that IPOB’s demand for a referendum is a democratic process to allow Biafrans to determine their fate and decide their future, whether in Nigeria or a free and sovereign Biafran nation.
IPOB emphasized that its demand will not change, regardless of the person or party occupying Aso Rock, the Nigerian seat of power.
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