The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has hinted that the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu may soon be released from detention.
Kanu, who is facing treason trial, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021.
Kalu revealed that high-level underground dialogues with relevant authorities are ongoing to secure Kanu’s release. He made this known during a meeting with the South East Legislators Forum in Abuja, where he expressed optimism that the result of the meetings would soon become visible.
“I am fighting for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to come out. Very soon, it will happen. Please, keep us in your prayers,” Kalu said.
He emphasized the importance of unity and synergy amongst political leaders in the region. He commended the lawmakers’ interest in the ongoing constitution amendment process and encouraged them to give their full support.
Kalu also canvassed support for the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that the government means well for Ndi Igbo and Nigerians in general.
Kalu said, “The power of networking is more than money. Unity is power. We hardly recognise our own and we lose a lot of things because of it. We need to end the sit-at-home, people are destroying themselves. We need to come to together. The power of unity, the power of growth is important.
“I want to also commend you for leaving your various Houses of Assembly to come to the Federal House for exposure. It will help you.
“The benefits are many. It will make your legislative activities to be robust. It will help you to speak from the point of knowledge.
“I also want to thank you for showing interest in the Constitution amendment. We can’t do it alone. I am sure when you sell the issues coming from the federal to the people, they will embrace it.
“On the proposed zonal public hearing, we will want you to support what we are doing in the process of amending the Constitution. We are thinking of starting in first and second quarter of next year.
“As members of the South East Legislative Forum, you need to be strong and have a common legislative agenda. Birth an idea and think of how we can utilise it.
“And that is why I want you to support the SEDC. Some people have said that the President said he wasn’t going to do it. They abandoned the 3Rs. Let’s support the president. We will build capacity.
“We will have regional town hall meeting for all members to sit and discuss what we will do. One of the things that is paramount is security. Let’s develop agriculture, infrastructure, energy, technology amongst others.”
The leader of the delegation, Kingsley Ikoro, said they came to pay a solidarity visit and pledge their homage to the deputy speaker as the political leader of the Southeast.
“In the political setting today, you are our leader. You are the leader of Ndi-Igbo. We came to pay a solidarity visit and pledge our homage and said that we are all legislators, members of the State Houses of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states,” Ikoro said.
