The appeal had been made by Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, the National Vice President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, in Awka, Anambra State capital on Tuesday while addressing journalists in the state.
Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, special lawyer to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has countered the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s request that President Bola Tinubu should grant Kanu political pardon as part of Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.
Kanu, who was arrested in Kenya by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Nigerian government, has been held in detention at the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), since June 2021, by the Nigerian government prosecuting him on trumped up charges of terrorism and treason.
SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that as Nigeria marked its 64th Independence Day anniversary, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide asked President Tinubu to grant Kanu a political pardon as part of the independence anniversary.
The appeal had been made by Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, the National Vice President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, in Awka, Anambra State capital on Tuesday while addressing journalists in the state.
Okeke-Ogene stressed that releasing Kanu could pave the way for peace, help identify those responsible for violence, and ultimately end the troubling sit-at-home orders in the Southeast.
However, reacting to the request, Ejimakor described Ohanaeze’s request as "shocking" saying that the organisation could not be asking for a pardon for the IPOB leader who has not been convicted by court.
The lawyer said that pardon is only granted for convicted felons, stressing that such a request would never arise in Kanu’s case as he did not commit any crime by demanding political justice for his people.
In his reaction posted on his X account, Ejimakor said, “Dear Ohanaeze Ndigbo, it’s shocking that you’re asking for PARDON for someone who is NOT yet convicted.
“FYI (For Your Information), pardon is for convicted felons and it will never arise in this case because MNK (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) committed no crime by demanding political justice for his people.”