‘You Offered to Stand Surety for Kanu’ — IPOB Fires Back at Soludo
By Our Reporter
|#anambradaily
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has launched a scathing attack on Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, accusing him of hypocrisy after his administration criticised Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi for calling for the release of its imprisoned leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The group reminded the governor that he once publicly offered to stand surety for Kanu, questioning what it described as a dramatic reversal of position on an issue that has remained central to political discourse in the South-East.
The controversy erupted after Ejimofor Opara, a media aide to Governor Soludo, condemned remarks made by Peter Obi during an interaction with Nigerians in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2026.
Obi had reportedly argued that there was no justification for Kanu’s continued detention and pledged to pursue lawful avenues to secure his freedom if elected President of Nigeria.
Reacting, Opara described Obi’s comments as inappropriate, insisting that Kanu had been convicted by a competent court and that his appeal remained before the judiciary.
“Any suggestion that a convicted person should be released outside the judicial process amounts to a disregard for the rule of law,” Opara stated.
But IPOB swiftly pushed back. In a statement issued on June 15 and signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group accused Soludo’s administration of attempting to discredit Obi while ignoring the governor’s own record on the matter.
“Governor Soludo is the last person who should criticise anyone for demanding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release,” Powerful said.
“This is the same Governor Soludo who visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody in Abuja in May 2022 and publicly offered to stand surety for him. He cannot now pretend that advocating Kanu’s release is an attack on the judiciary.”
The group further alleged that Soludo’s current position contradicts earlier efforts by his administration to seek a political solution to the Kanu matter.
According to IPOB, several public statements by officials of the Anambra State Government had previously acknowledged the need for dialogue and engagement as part of efforts to address agitation and insecurity in the South-East.
“Soludo cannot erase history. Nigerians remember his appeals for Kanu’s release and his calls for a political settlement. What has changed today is not the facts but the politics,” the statement added.
The latest exchange has once again brought attention to Soludo’s well-documented visit to Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility shortly before assuming office as governor.
Following the visit, Soludo publicly appealed to the Federal Government to consider releasing Kanu on compassionate grounds and argued that resolving tensions in the South-East would require political dialogue alongside legal processes.
However, since becoming governor, Soludo has adopted a firmer stance against separatist activities, particularly the enforcement of sit-at-home orders, which he has repeatedly blamed for economic disruption and insecurity in Anambra State.
Kanu’s legal circumstances have also changed significantly. In November 2025, a Federal High Court convicted the IPOB leader on terrorism-related charges and sentenced him to life imprisonment. His legal team subsequently filed an appeal, which remains pending.
The Federal Government has consistently maintained that any decision concerning Kanu’s freedom must follow due legal process and the outcome of ongoing appellate proceedings.
Political observers say the dispute reflects growing divisions among South-East leaders over how best to address the Kanu issue, which continues to generate strong emotions across the region.
While Peter Obi remains popular among many young voters and pro-Biafra supporters, Soludo has increasingly projected himself as a defender of institutional governance and judicial authority.
In its closing remarks, IPOB warned politicians against distancing themselves from Kanu’s cause for political advantage.
“History will remember those who stood for justice and those who abandoned it for personal ambition,” the group declared.
As of press time, Governor Soludo had not personally responded to IPOB’s latest criticism. However, sources within the Anambra State Government maintained that the administration’s position remains rooted in respect for the rule of law and judicial decisions.
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