By Vincent Ujumadu

AN Industrialist and former governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has advised politicians, especially those from the Southeast, against compounding the travails of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, arguing that their current postures might worsen his problems.

In a statement made available to reporters weekend, Obidigbo said some Igbo political elites were going about the ongoing popular demand for the release of the embattled IPOB leader the wrong way, accusing overzealous  politicians of acting out of ignorance and mostly for self aggrandisement.

According to him, the delicate nature of Kanu’s incarceration requires quiet diplomacy to achieve political solution, without politicizing the young man’s release, the way some Igbo elites are going about it.

While identifying the salient complications around the IPOB leader’s forceful rendition and consequent incarceration, the elder statesman said Britain’s loud silence about Kanu’s predicament also raises a large red flag.

His statement read: “I am constrained to say that I am not comfortable with the way and manner our political elites are going about their request for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

 “The sense I make of the cheap scramble by Igbo politicians to be identified in the growing calls for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom from prolonged and unjust incarceration is that they are merely playing to the gallery.

 “It is obvious that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not entirely the one holding Nnamdi Kanu. It was not even former President Muhammadu Buhari or his erstwhile Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami. All the AGFs, including the current one, are mere legal officers for the government.

 “However, Kanu’s matter is a security issue, which requires the involvement of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. The President may not have absolute power to release Kanu, although he has the power to influence things if he so wishes.

“Genuine efforts to free Kanu should be directed at the NSA, as well as the Ambassadors of Britain, USA and Ambassadors of some well-meaning, and Influential countries like China, Russia, etc.

“Without the buy- in of those powerful nations, the struggle will surely continue, until Biafra gets the referendum that IPOB has been demanding, whichever way they get it.

“If Kanu is released on political grounds, without holding a referendum they are demanding, the struggle will most likely continue, thereby rendering elusive or delaying further the much sought after peace”.

 Obidigbo said the other powerful elephant in the room blocking Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom is the British government, stating that he (Kanu) acted against British economic interest in Nigeria.

“Everything that Kanu said or did was done in Britain, being a British citizen.  But, they could not afford to arrest him on British soil, because of obvious and potential backlash.

“The British High Commissioner in Nigeria showed no interest in at least speaking up against the violent kidnap and rendition of her citizen. All the Embassy was interested was to hear Kanu renounce his dream of a Biafra, probably with a promise never to support any such agitation in future,” he sated.