President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday met with Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of efforts to explore a political solution for the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The meeting followed closely on the heels of Governor Otti’s visit to Kanu at the Sokoto correctional facility, where he is serving a life sentence.
Otti had visited in the company of Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu; the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN); and his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma.
Officials of the Sokoto State Government were also present.The Abia governor has repeatedly stated that securing Kanu’s release is a priority for his administration, explaining that an “already agreed strategy” was being pursued to achieve that goal.
“While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is free to appeal his conviction, I’m happy to inform you that I have activated, and will continue to work on, the already agreed strategy until his freedom is secured,” Otti said earlier through his media aide.
Tuesday’s meeting with President Tinubu is believed to be a continuation of these efforts, with both political and legal remedies reportedly under consideration.
Though details of the discussion were not immediately made public, the engagement marks the clearest signal yet of an emerging political negotiation on the matter.Kanu’s detention and conviction have remained subjects of national and regional concern, with appeals for his release coming from various leaders, civil society groups and traditional institutions in the South-East.
The Presidency and the Abia State Government are expected to hold further consultations as part of the evolving process aimed at resolving the issue.
