The call, on Monday, by the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for the unconditional release of the pro-Biafran leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has received the total support of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu, who was renditioned from Kenya in 2022, has been kept in detention by the Federal Government.

In his reaction to Kanu’s continued detention, Obi, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said that it does not make sense.

“For every one of them, I mean, why is he still being held? It does not make sense to me,” Obi stated when asked if he would canvass a political solution for the IPOB leader.

In a statement, the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, said Obi’s call for Kanu’s release is an effort to save Nigeria from “deeper moral and reputational bankruptcy”.

According to Powerful, Obi’s remarks are not only timely but also reflect a voice of reason and restraint amidst the deafening silence and cowardice of many political actors, particularly from the South East, who have chosen self-preservation and political correctness over truth and justice.

“The IPOB, under the supreme leadership of our incarcerated leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, notes with cautious optimism the recent public comments made by Peter Obi, in which he unequivocally called for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, stating that there is no justification for his continued detention.

“Obi’s remarks are not only timely but also reflect a voice of reason and restraint amidst the deafening silence and cowardice of many political actors, particularly from the South East, who have chosen self-preservation and political correctness over truth and justice.

“While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has, on many occasions in the past, criticised Peter Obi in very strong and unfiltered terms, consistent with his principled stance against Nigeria’s political establishment, it is worth acknowledging that Obi never responded in kind.

“Instead, he has consistently maintained a dignified silence, refusing to allow personal attacks to cloud his sense of justice or moral duty.

“Indeed, we recall with appreciation that Mr. Obi was among the few prominent politicians who defied fear and political pressure to attend the funeral of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s parents in Afaraukwu Ibeku.

“At a time when the Nigerian military was harassing mourners and many high-profile individuals shamefully stayed away, Peter Obi’s quiet presence was a rare demonstration of empathy and courage.

“IPOB wishes to state clearly that while we are not part of Nigeria’s political system and do not seek validation from it, we recognise sincere gestures when they are made.

“Mr. Peter Obi’s call is not only a personal expression of conscience but a tacit acknowledgment of the glaring illegality and injustice that underpins the continued detention and persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read.