Abia State Governor Alex Otti has spoken publicly for the first time since the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment on November 20.
In a statement released on Saturday, the governor said he already began a plan to help secure Kanu’s release and that the process started during the court case.
According to him, “While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is free to appeal his conviction, I’m happy to inform you that I have activated and will continue to work on the already agreed strategy until his freedom is secured.”
Governor Otti explained that he had discussed some of the agreed steps with top officials in the country when he visited Kanu at the Department of State Services detention facility earlier in the year.
He said the early handling of the IPOB situation by previous authorities worsened tensions. He urged everyone to embrace calm while political and peaceful solutions are explored.
The governor said, “The poor management of the IPOB issue at the incubation stage created the problem we have today, hence we cannot allow it to linger and create a bigger monstrous situation for us.”
Otti warned politicians to avoid using Kanu’s case to play politics. He said, “May I caution politicians who have positioned themselves to play petty and dirty politics with the travails of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to jettison the idea.”
He called on residents of Abia and the entire South East to avoid statements that could provoke unrest, stressing that he is committed to working with other leaders to find a peaceful solution.
In the statement signed by his media adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Otti reflected on his long-standing position that dialogue is the best way to address IPOB-related issues. He recalled that in 2017, after the military raid on Kanu’s home in Afaraukwu, he publicly condemned the action and called for calm and meaningful engagement.
The governor said he has been in personal talks with senior government officials since December 2023 to find an alternative solution. He noted that some agreements were reached during these talks, and he is confident they will now move forward since judgment has been delivered.
He said he briefed Kanu about this same strategy during his visit to him in DSS custody.
He appealed for calm, adding that he had received assurances from the Federal Government that a workable resolution is possible. He expressed confidence that Kanu will eventually regain his freedom through peaceful and diplomatic steps.
Governor Otti said his goal is to restore peace in the South East and ensure that the matter is resolved in a way that brings lasting stability to the region.