Senator Victor Umeh, a former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has called on the federal government to free Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
He claimed that doing so would be in accordance with the Appeal Court's decision and a decent method to put an end to the unrest in Igbo country.
On behalf of the Labour Party (LP), Umeh, who is running for the Anambra Central senatorial seat, spoke to reporters yesterday in Awka, the state capital of Anambra.
The IPOB leader had been cleared of all accusations of terrorism by the Abuja-based Court of Appeal on Friday.
But the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN) said the judgment did not quash other charges against Kanu before he left Nigeria in 2017.
The AGF said the IPOB leader was only discharged and not acquitted.
But Umeh argued that the Federal Government had no reason to continue to keep Kanu.
He said: “The news of the Court of Appeal judgment is very soothing and gladdening in the sense that the Federal Government of Nigeria has been given a golden opportunity to bring to an end the controversy between IPOB and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“When he (Kanu) was brought home from Kenya last year, I was one of those who asked that the matter be given fair judicial adjudication.
“Along the line, through a suit instituted by Kanu, a court in Umuahia (Abia State capital) quashed the charges against him and ordered that he should be released unconditionally.
“At that time, I told the Federal Government to use a political solution and end the matter to stop the political and security tension, but they did not.
“Now that the Court of Appeal has quashed the charges against him, it is trite for the Federal Government to release him and let him go. The United Nations (UN) had made an earlier order for the release of Kanu.
“While the UN and the world were waiting for government to toe that line, the Court of Appeal has also made an order for his release. I don’t think the Federal Government has any reason to continue to keep him.”
Umeh insisted that the recent judgment setting Kanu free was a window for the Federal Government to embrace peace.
“Someone who is looking for peace should know when God has given him an opening to embrace peace.
“This judgment by the Court of Appeal is sufficient to end all charges against Nnamdi Kanu and allow him to go. It will also help to solve the security problem in the Southeast.
“Every Monday, there is sit-at-home in the Southeast. But if they release him now, that will disappear and we will have five working days in a week, like others.
“The Federal Government has nothing to gain by continuing to detain Nnamdi Kanu. If you noticed, tension has dropped recently.
“Releasing Nnamdi Kanu will not lead to any challenge anymore. It is for the government to rely on this judgment to release him.
“I remember that Igbo leaders went to solicit the unconditional release and Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) even went in a wheelchair with Chief Mbazulike Amaechi to ask for Kanu’s release. But President Muhammadu Buhari said he did not want to interfere in the judicial processes.
“But now, the Court of Appeal has set him free. I believe this is a golden opportunity for Mr President to rely on this judgment to release Kanu, which the UN had earlier called for.
“I believe if this is done, the country will be better for it, instead of trying to exacerbate the tension by trying to keep him. I believe if they obey the judgment, everyone will be happy,” Umeh said.