By Abiola Olawale
The South East Governors, on Tuesday, announced plans to meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over a possible release of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The South-East Governors made this resolution at a meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Present at the meeting were Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; Governor Alex Otti of Abia State; Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State; Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State as well as Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.
The meeting which was held in Enugu state was also attended by a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; and His Majesty, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe.
Addressing the press after the meeting, the Governors reviewed and deliberated on a report of the South East security and economic summit which was held in Owerri, Imo state on 28 September 2023.
According to the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Imo state, Uzodinma, the governors agreed to implement certain aspects of the report in order to improve the security and economy of the South East region.
Uzodinma also revealed that the governors set up a burial committee on the late former governor of Abia state and Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu.
The committee is to be chaired by Anyim Puis Anyim with former Minister of Transportation and Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amechi as Secretary of the committee.
He said: “The Forum commiserates with the family of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo and indeed the entire South East region and entire the family of Ogbonnaya Onu on the demise of His Excellency Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
“The Forum received a delegation of the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and His Royal Majesty Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, who came on a solidarity visit to this Forum.
“The Forum deliberated on the reviewed report of the South East security and economic summit held in Owerri Imo state on the 28 September 2023 and agreed to implement the aspect of the report about security and economic integration of the South East region and affirmed its desire to put actionable plan on the key issues agreed.
“The Forum resolved to visit Mr. President to discuss all pressing issues concerning the South East region. The Forum also deliberated and resolved to interface with the Federal Government to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
The New Diplomat reports that Kanu has been facing Stormy waters since he was first arrested in Lagos State on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom, UK.
Justice Nyako had on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health grounds, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.
Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.
However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.
Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021, and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.
Following the development, and his trial in court, on June 29, 2021, he was remanded in custody of the DSS, where he remained till date.
