Kanu Supported Restructuring as Far Back as 2017, Says Younger Brother

*Accuses south east govs of developing cold feet

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was disposed to dropping his agitation had the federal government initiated a “sincere discussion” on restructuring the nation.

This revelation was made by Emmanuel, younger brother to Kanu, who contended that, the IPOB leader had expressed his willingness to consider restructuring as alternative to outright Biafra sovereignty as far back as 2017.

He told journalists in Umuahia that the proposal was for Nigeria to be restructured along the1960 Independent Constitution and the Republic Constitution of 1963, which conferred semi-autonomy to the federating regions as obtained in the defunct first republic.

According to him, Kanu was pressured by prominent Igbo leaders, including the late Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme and Mbazulike Amechi, to consider accepting restructuring as alternative to Biafra sovereignty.

He said the proposal was further accentuated at a meeting the South East governors held with the IPOB leader in Enugu on August 30, 2017 at the height of the agitation for Biafra self-determination.

“In fact, before the meeting, he had met with the late Dr Alex Ekwueme, who pressured him to agree on restructuring of Nigeria along 1960 and 1963 Constitutions.

“The late Chief Mbazulike Amaechi and Professor Ben Nwabueze made the same proposal. They put him under pressure to accept restructuring.

“They tried to convince Nnamdi Kanu at the meeting that restructuring would be better than outright Biafra.

So, restructuring was a choice proposed by Igbo leaders.

“My brother told them at the meeting that if they were serious about it, he would want everybody – the necessary stakeholders – to be on the table for genuine discussions on how to move Nigeria forward,” he said.

Emmanuel said his family was surprised that, “nobody is talking of restructuring again after those leaders” had made their proposal for Kanu to agree to a restructured Nigeria in lieu of Biafra agitation.”

He said though Kanu had told the Igbo leaders, including the governors, that, “he would tone down agitation for 12 months”, noting that, as soon as negotiations on restructuring commenced, the governors never took the proposal to

the federal government.

“He (Kanu) told them that the federal government and other nationalities that make up Nigeria must come together for serious discussions,” he explained further.

The IPOB leader’s younger brother insinuated that the South East governors and the federal government did not actually want the proposed discussion on restructuring, a development he reckoned informed the military invasion of the home of Kanu on September 14, 2017.

“Now, my question to the federal government, South East governors and Igbo leaders is: why are they mute about restructuring? Why is nobody mentioning restructuring again?” he asked.

Aside from shying away from the clamour for restructuring, Emmanuel also accused Igbo political leaders of pressing the mute button over the continued detention of the IPOB leader despite orders for his release by both trial and appellate courts.