Osita Chidoka, former Minister of aviation, says he offered to drive Nnamdi Kanu home after he was released from Kuje Prison because he wanted to serve as bridge between the angry youths of the South East and the Federal Government.

Kanu, Leader of the now proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was accused of treason and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) between October 2015 and January 2016 when he was charged to court.

He was remanded in Kuje Prison in the Federal Capital Territory until April 2017 when he was granted bail on health grounds.

After fulfilling his bail conditions, Kanu was led home like a hero in a convoy led by Chidoka and some other Igbo leaders.

However, Kanu failed to abide by conditions on which he was granted bail and his release almost led to a state of emergency in the south east region.

Presently, his whereabouts remain unknown.

But Chidoka, who is running as a governorship candidate under the United Peoples Party (UPP) in Anambra State, said it was not to gain political popularity that he offered to drive Kanu home after he was released.

He gave the explanation at a political debate organized for all the contestants in the Anambra State governorship election scheduled to hole on November 18.

“If it was a popularity contest, I’m sure that other candidates would have gone for it,” Chidoka said.

“The issue is the fundamental philosophy of the right of individuals in a democracy to freely express themselves within the laws of the country.

“Once we have that right as enshrined in our Constitution, I believe we must respect it and if anybody violates the terms of our Constitution or our laws, then the law should take its course.

“The law took its course on him (Kanu). He got bailed from a court. I now participated in ensuring that the bridge of communication between the angry young people in the South East and the rest of the country is a burden I believe I bear as a young minister.

“As a young former Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, I believe I serve as a beautiful bridge; I serve as that bridge that connects the dreams of Nigeria with the people of Ndi-Igbo.”

Enyinnaya Abaribe, a member of the Senate who was one of the three persons that stood in for Kanu before he could be released, had regretted his actions.

Abaribe said the disappearance of Kanu had put them into trouble as the court would hold them responsible.

At the resumption of Kanu’s trial in October, Abaribe informed the court that he wanted to withdraw as Kanu sureties, but the court said he would have to forfeit the N100 million bail bond he deposited as part of the bail conditions.