A former lawmaker in the Lagos Assembly for Oshodi-Isolo, Jude Idimogu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to grant clemency to the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu, who was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria, has remained in custody facing trial on multiple charges.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Sunday, Idimogu argued that Kanu’s release could strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s political standing in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“It will add to our votes in the South-East. If the President can look at this issue, the South-East will never forget him but forever be grateful,” he said.
Idimogu urged well-meaning Nigerians, including Igbo leaders and South-East governors, to speak with one voice by appealing to the President to grant Kanu a pardon.
He said that such a pardon, if granted, would not be forgotten and would aid the party’s fortune in the South-East in the 2027 general elections.
The ex-lawmaker said, “I want to plead with our President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to kindly see the need to use political means to grant Nnamdi Kanu clemency.
“I want to appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians, not just those from Igbo extraction, to help plead with Mr President to use his good office to release Nnamdi Kanu.
“If this is done, I believe the insecurity situation and tension in the Southeast will reduce, if not completely curbed and eradicated.”
READ ALSO: IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu Files ₦60bn Defamation Suit Against Reno Omokri
According to him, a lot of miscreants have been using Kanu’s name to cause mayhem and atrocities in the region.
Idimogu, who is the deputy leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, said that the release of Kanu has a lot of advantages both for the South-East and Nigeria
He said that it would de-escalate the tension and make the economy of the region to come alive again.
“Mr President, kindly look at the South-East case and bring back businesses and trading long stagnated in the region because of insecurity.
“An average Igbo man is a trader. We cannot overlook this situation and the contributions of these traders in the South-East to the economy.
“South-East used to be home to a lot of people before now, it just suddenly changed to be dens of insecurity and other vices. This can be arrested with Kanu’s release.
“Mr President, we know you to be a father with a compassionate heart, please, help us in the South-East, grant Kanu freedom to stabilise our region,” Idimogu stated.