The family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of failing to honor a pre-election agreement allegedly mediated by his son, Seyi Tinubu.
According to Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the deal involved assurances that Nnamdi Kanu would be released if Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement, Emmanuel claimed that Seyi Tinubu, acting with his father’s approval, met with him in Abuja before the elections to negotiate the terms. During the meeting, IPOB reportedly agreed to forgo any calls for election boycotts in exchange for Kanu’s release once Tinubu assumed office.
“Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that any agreement we reached would be binding on then-candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Emmanuel stated.
He added that Tinubu reiterated this commitment during his campaign in Owerri.
“At the end, IPOB did not call for an election boycott despite having the capacity to do so. IPOB also worked to ensure that discordant voices within the group were silenced because election boycotts would tarnish the reputation of a global movement that prides itself on democratic principles,” Emmanuel explained.
However, nearly two years after Tinubu assumed office, Emmanuel lamented that Nnamdi Kanu remains in detention, even though no formal charges have been filed against him.
“It defies logic that my brother is still detained despite the Appeal Court discharging him of all charges and ordering his release. The Buhari regime ignored this ruling, and now, under Tinubu’s government, no new judge has been assigned to the case after Justice Binta Nyako recused herself,” he said.
Emmanuel further criticized what he described as legal and procedural failures in Kanu’s case, noting that the Supreme Court also ruled his bail revocation was unwarranted.
“Nigerian courts are unwilling to resolve his case on merit, instead relying on baseless technicalities to stall proceedings. His detention lacks any legal justification under Nigerian or international law,” Emmanuel argued.
He called on President Tinubu to honor the alleged agreement and ensure Kanu’s release, describing the situation as a violation of both national and international legal standards.
“The truth is that those who claim to be men of honor must live up to their word,” he concluded.
The family urged the president to act swiftly to end what they see as an unjustified detention and uphold the rule of law.
