Traditional and religious leaders from the South-East zone have expressed worry over what they described as differences encountered by the legal team of the Leader of the Indigenous; People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on his ongoing trial.
The leaders urged the Court to affirm Kanu’s fundamental rights, including that of his Lawyers and other stakeholders, stressing that failure to do so would lend weight to the suspicion in some quarters of a planned secret trial against the IPOB leader.
Spokesmen of the traditional and religious leaders; Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, His Grace, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, His Grace Chibuzo Okpoko, among others, warned that the difficulties will neutralize all the efforts being made to establish peace in the South-East zone.
They commended IPOB for listening to their appeal to call off the sit-at-home order.
“This Joint Body is relieved that the Anambra State Gubernatorial Election was conducted without any major incidents or breach of the peace. It also commends the people of Anambra State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Security Forces, the National Peace Committee, and all the other actors who contributed to the successful conduct of the election.
“We are highly disturbed by the persistent complaints by the IPOB legal team about the difficulties it encounters in dealing with the Department of State Services (DSS) and, especially, the sad events which occurred during Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appearance in court last Wednesday, November 10.
“This Joint Body acknowledges the statement by the Attorney-General & Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN, in which he affirmed that the Federal Government was open to a political solution to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case. This statement is in line with the proposal earlier made by this.
“Joint body and by other well-meaning persons and groups in Nigeria. This Body therefore eagerly awaits the concrete steps that would be taken in this regard.”
The group acknowledged the roles played by various other Igbo organizations and groups in fostering peace in the South East zone and calls on all to sustain the current effort until true peace, based on justice and equity, is achieved in our land.
Vanguard