A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State and Convener of The Alternative Movement, Segun Showunmi, on Monday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider adopting a political solution in resolving the case of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment.
Kanu was convicted by a Federal High Court in Abuja on seven terrorism-related charges.
Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution proved that Kanu’s broadcasts in support of Biafra incited violence and contributed to killings in parts of the South-East.
Following the ruling, the Department of State Services transferred him to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Sokoto.
Speaking at the “Guest Forum” organised by the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Showunmi urged the president to intervene, insisting that a political resolution would better serve national unity.
The former PDP governorship aspirant said the country had long moved past the civil war era and must avoid actions that deepen mistrust.
According to him, releasing Kanu would help de-escalate insecurity in the South-East rather than intensify agitation.
Showunmi added that continued detention only strengthens the resolve of violent groups operating in the region, stressing that a political settlement would reassure the Igbo community that they are not targets of injustice.
He said, “The civil war is long over, and it needs to be over. There can be no justification for the killings of Igbos in Igboland under whatever guise. Why don’t we find a way to collaborate among ourselves and shatter the glass ceiling, which is the presidency?
I call on the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu that, for the benefit of this nation and the people we have lost in keeping this country together, we plead that we are now due for a political solution to Kanu’s case.
“We want the Igbos to understand that there is no conspiracy to do them an injustice. A greater good is served if he is released than keeping him behind bars. By leaving him behind bars, we are energising the audience that is misbehaving and killing people in the South-East.”
Addressing concerns about the judgment, he said the legal process should run its course but dismissed claims of ethnic or political bias.
Speaking on The Alternative Movement, Showunmi explained that the platform is not a political party but a civic initiative aimed at encouraging broader political participation, especially among young people.
Earlier, Acting Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Peter Moses, said the “Guest Forum” was designed to foster constructive engagement with policymakers and influential voices on issues affecting society.
Justice Omotosho had last month sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment after a decade-long legal battle.
The judgment came four years after Kanu was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria.
He was subsequently charged with seven counts bordering on terrorism.
Omotosho stated that several of Kanu’s broadcasts on Radio Biafra constituted acts of terrorism, adding that his rhetoric was anchored on violence. He also held that Kanu’s sit-at-home orders in South-Eastern states amounted to terrorism, as they violated residents’ freedom of movement.
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