Southern Leaders To Buhari, Release Nnamdi Kanu and Obey Rule of Law

     The Pan Southern Protectorate group SNPA,has urged president Muhammadu Buhari to release the long and illegally detained Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra,and also his members arrested for protesting over his detention.
   Leaders of Southern Nigeria, under the auspices
of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA)
has implored
President Muhammadu Buhari to
respect the rule of law and order the immediate
release of those in detention, including Radio
Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu, in compliance with
pronouncements of courts of competent
jurisdiction.
The leaders also said that in order for the
principles of separation of powers to be applied
to advance democracy, the Indigenous People of
Biafra ( IPOB) and similar non-violent bodies
should be treated fairly and given opportunity if
hearing.
SNPA made these pronouncements in Asaba
during its meeting which held at Best Western
Elemaz Hotel.
The meeting, attended by the State Governor
(represented), was chaired by former Vice
President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, who was
also represented by a former governor of
Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife.
Other leaders who were at the meeting include
co-chair and leader of South-South, Senator
Rowland Owie, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, co-
chair and leader of the South West, represented
by Senator Femi Okurounmu.
The SNPA, which deliberated on the security,
socio-political and economic situations of the
country, persistent killing of Nigerians by Fulanis,
and issues bordering on establishment of grazing
reserves in parts of the country.
In its first resolution, the group said: “We urge
him(Buhari) to respect the rule of law, the
protection of citizens fundamental human rights
and the pronouncements of courts of competent
jurisdiction. The president should note that the
war on corruption should neither be vindictive nor
selective.
“We call on President Buhari to ensure
immediate release of all Nigerians which various
courts have given bail and have subsequently
met their bail conditions. IPOB and other similar
non-violent bodies should be treated fairly and
given opportunity to be heard.
“The president should commence the
implementation of the resolutions of the 2014
National Conference to resolve the continuing
contradictions in the Nigerian polity and to lay
solid foundation for more just and equitable
Nigerian society.”
The leaders also urged Northern elders to stop
infusing the ‘we and they’ mentality in the
present government ‘which usually create
division and confusion in the polity’. “The
Northern Elders Forum should realize that
President Buhari is the president of Nigeria, and
not just of northern Nigeria. The government is
therefore for the entire Nigeria and programmes
and projects should be for the overall
development and growth of the country and not
a section of it”.
On the increasing killings by Fulani cattle
rearers, the leaders said that “the president
should deal decisively the with the issue of
Fulani herdsmen to avoid it snowballing into
another Boko Haram. Consequently, he should
commission a judicial panel of inquiry to
investigate all Fulani attack since May 2015 and
make the perpetrators face the wrath of the
law”.
The group thanked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who
hosted them in the Delta State capital city.