‘Tinubu Promised to Free Kanu After IPOB Pledged It Won’t Disrupt 2023 General Poll’

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

In the lead up to the 2023 elections, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was alleged to have committed to the family of Nnamdi Kanu that he would free the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) if he won the  presidential poll.

The promise to free Kanu was allegedly hinged on a commitment on the part of IPOB not to disrupt the 2023 general election or call for a boycott of the poll since it had a demonstrable capacity to do so.

Younger brother of the IPOB leader, Emmanuel Kanu, disclosed this last night, exclusively to THISDAY.

Narrating the incidents that led to the mutual agreement between Tinubu and Kanu’s family, Emmanuel explained that, “Before the last election, I received a message from an ex-governor that Seyi the son of President Tinubu wanted to see me.

“I agreed to meet with him on the condition that the overriding priority and hence the fulcrum of our discussion will be the release of my brother.

“The meeting was held in Abuja in the presence of another individual whom I asked along to witness the deliberations and if need be provide independent verification should the need arise,” he said.

Emmanuel said before discussions had commenced, “Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that I should consider any agreement we reached as binding on the then candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He said both parties agreed “in good faith that I shall relay the outcome (of the meeting ) to my brother to reinforce the long held tradition of IPOB not interfering with the conduct of elections, either through boycott or any other form of civil disobedience.

“This understanding was duly communicated to my brother and he reaffirmed his commitment not to stop the elections or order any boycott.”

Emmanuel recalled that Tinubu had during his presdential campaign at Owerri, Imo State, “reiterated his commitment to facilitate the release of my brother if elected.

“We took his public statement as a tacit reaffirmation of the understanding I reached with his son Seyi,” he said, adding that, “at that end, IPOB did not call for election boycott despite having the capacity to do so.”

Emmanuel, however, regretted that after IPOB had fulfilled its own part of the agreement, President Tinubu was still foot-dragging in making good the promise he had made in the run-up to the 2023 poll.