Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu confirmed on Tuesday that he has met with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, a couple of times at the Department of State Security (DSS) facility, expressing high hopes that he will soon regain his freedom.
It will be recalled that the lawmakers, reportedly led by the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia South and North Federal Constituency of Abia on Monday, wrote an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appealing for the release of Kanu by invoking section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and section 107(1) of administration of criminal justice Act, 2015.
Hon. Kalu, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja, through his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, expressed excitement over the recent call by 50 members of the 10th House of Representatives led by Hon. Obi Aguocha seeking for the release of the detained IPoB leader.
He also applauded the lawmakers spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country and the political parties for throwing their weight behind him on the appeals for Kanu’s freedom.
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According to the Deputy Speaker, there are expectations that the southeast caucus will also arise in unison soon to support the effort.
Recalling the impact of the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P), a social advocacy group he founded that promotes the idea of a non-kinetic approach to resolving the security challenges and other sociological issues in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Kalu said that the release of the IPoB leader was very crucial to the restoration of peace in the zone.
He said that a milestone has been recorded in his private engagements with the authorities on achieving a political solution in Kanu’s case.
The Deputy Speaker recalled that Hon. Aguocha accompanied him in one of those engagements with the decision-makers in the country on the issue.
Hon. Kalu however stated that such high-profile security issues are not products of advertisement in the media hence the need to keep them confidential in order not to jeopardize the gains so far made.
The Deputy Speaker, who also revealed that he has met with Kanu a couple of times in the Department of State Service (DSS) detention facility, said that hopes are high that the IPoB leader will soon regain his freedom.
In the last visit two weeks before the court appearance, Kalu had discussed and obtained a firm assurance on the side of the IPoB leader on the need for sustainable peace in the region.
Notedly, that agreement has since been communicated to the delight of the authorities and Kanu’s younger brother as his family representative.
While thanking the lawmakers for their support, Kalu who also represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, appealed to Ndi Igbo to remain calm and hopeful and avoid provocative comments on this issue in the light of the truism that the government of the day cannot be compelled either covertly or overtly.
He stressed that with diplomacy, a solution will be finalised.
Kalu also warned against making merchandise of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration for selfish economic gain which runs at variance with his wish, emphasizing that the IPoB leader should not be used as a political tool for any political capital.
He urged all those genuinely supporting the advocacy for his freedom to go about it dispassionately with the face of humanity and for no personal interest so that the work quietly done on it so far will not be a waste.
The Deputy Speaker re-emphasised that the present APC administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized the South East for a facelift, assuring the people that the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill which has been transmitted to the president for his assent is one of the obvious ways of rebuilding the region severely ravaged by the civil war.
“I want to sincerely express my profound appreciation to my colleagues from all parts of country and different political parties who made up the 50 lawmakers that recently lent their voices to the appeal for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“The call signifies oneness of purpose and noble objective: that we are one people and what affects one, also affects another.
“I have always emphasized that united we stand, divided we fall.
“I want to assure them that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in the peace and development of the South East and given his genuine love for the zone and the appeals so far made, a political solution is imminent in resolving the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“The voices of my brothers in the parliament are indeed inspiring and I cannot thank them and other Nigerians enough for queuing behind me,” Kalu said.
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