The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has criticized the South East Governors for not doing enough to secure his release.

Speaking in Umuahia on Friday during a memorial in honor of their late parents, HRM Eze Israel and Ugoeze Sally Kanu, Prince Emmanuel Kanu accused the governors of lacking genuine commitment to Kanu’s freedom.

“South East Governors are not doing enough to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. It’s either they are complicit or something. The big question is: Why have they not met with Mr. President on Nnamdi Kanu? The information available to us is that Mr. President asked them to meet with him officially over the matter, but up till now, they haven’t done so.

“Are the Governors benefiting from the unrest in the South East or what? What are they afraid of? Free Nnamdi Kanu today and all this tension in the South East will fizzle out in 24 hours because we will now know those hiding under the guise of the agitation for his release to perpetrate crime in the region,” he stated.

The family also condemned the indefinite adjournment of Kanu’s trial, arguing that Justice Binta Nyako no longer had jurisdiction over the case since she had previously recused herself.

“Why is she trying to force herself in the case? Does she have interest in the matter? We have said it severally that she is biased. She has turned down every application to relocate Nnamdi Kanu to prison custody instead of the DSS cell where they have held him for years under severe conditions,” Prince Emmanuel Kanu added.

The family called on the international community to intervene and press for Kanu’s release, insisting that he had committed no crime to warrant his continued detention.

Prince Emmanuel also appreciated Biafran elders and supporters who attended the memorial marking the fifth anniversary of their parents’ passing.

“We are humbled to see the crowd that gathered in our house to honor my late parents, who died as a result of the shock they had when the soldiers raided our house in 2017. Twenty-eight people were killed in our house during that raid. The people have renamed today, February 14, Saint Kanu’s Day to honor my late parents who were buried on February 14. We appreciate everyone for coming, especially those from outside South East States. We are encouraged by their show of love,” he said.

He reaffirmed the family’s demand for Kanu’s release, emphasizing that his advocacy was for the greater good.

“We demand my brother’s release. The issues he raised are germane. His matter is a case of dialogue and meaningful conversation,” he insisted.

In his remarks, the leader of Elders in Biafra land, High Chief Agonsi Ebere, said the gathering was to honor Kanu’s late parents, whom he described as martyrs for the Biafran cause.

“We urge the Federal Government to heed the growing pleas for Kanu’s release. His continued detention will not bring any progress to Nigeria,” Chief Ebere said.

He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release Kanu to Biafra elders, arguing that such a move would restore peace to the South East.

Adding his voice, the Akwa Ibom Regional head of the group, Aniekan Ekanem, reaffirmed that the masses supported Kanu’s advocacy.

“The masses are behind Kanu because he is championing a good cause,” he stated.

He further clarified that the Biafran movement was not exclusive to the Igbo but included the entire Old Eastern Region.

“Biafra is not an Igbo agenda but affects the people of the Old Eastern region. Akwa Ibom, which is known as ‘Igbo nta’, shares a lot in common with Igbo. We answer Igbo names like Udoh, Onyemaechi, etc. We are all brothers and nothing will separate us,” he said.

Elders from Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and the five South Eastern states were present at the memorial.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the National Assembly to enact stringent laws preventing politicians from carrying large sums of money within polling areas, emphasizing that this measure would help curb vote-buying and other electoral malpractices.

This appeal came as the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, announced plans for a 2025 Electoral Act, which would replace the current 2022 version, citing gaps observed during the 2023 general elections.

Speaking at a consultative meeting in Abuja on Friday with security operatives and the technical committee on electoral law amendments, INEC’s Director of Litigation and Prosecution, Tanimu Muhammed SAN, stressed that vote-buying remains a significant threat to Nigeria’s democratic process.

The meeting, organized by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters, in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss electoral security and legal reforms.

Muhammed pointed out that politicians often justify carrying large amounts of cash on election day, citing party agent payments and logistics expenses.

However, he warned that unrestricted cash circulation at polling units has fueled vote-buying and compromised electoral integrity.

To tackle this, he proposed a ₦50,000 limit on cash that individuals can carry within polling areas.

“Vote-buying remains one of the biggest threats to credible elections in Nigeria. We need legislation that not only criminalizes this practice but also puts preventive measures in place,” Muhammed stated.

Beyond vote-buying, INEC officials renewed calls for the establishment of an Electoral Offenses Commission, arguing that the electoral body lacks the capacity to effectively prosecute offenders.

According to Muhammed, “INEC is doing its best to handle prosecutions, but we need a dedicated institution with the legal authority and resources to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes comprehensively. The creation of an Electoral Offenses Commission would ensure that vote-buying, ballot snatching, and other crimes are met with swift legal action.”

The Commissioner of Police in charge of election planning and evaluation, Abayomi Shogunle, representing the Inspector General of Police, highlighted the challenges security agencies face in enforcing electoral laws.

“We face major logistical challenges, from deploying officers to remote areas to ensuring real-time communication during elections. These are issues that need to be addressed if we are to effectively enforce electoral laws,” Shogunle said.

In response, Hon. Adebayo Balogun assured stakeholders that their concerns would be addressed in future electoral reforms.

“The 2022 Electoral Act was a significant step forward, but its implementation in the last general elections showed areas that need improvement. We are committed to strengthening our electoral laws to reflect the realities of our democracy,” he said.

He further emphasized that, alongside legislative reforms, there was a need for increased awareness among political parties, INEC officials, and civil society organizations on the dangers of vote-buying and other electoral malpractices.

A prominent member of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Dr. Usman Bugaje, has strongly criticized Nigeria’s rotational presidency system, arguing that it has led the country into deep socio-economic challenges.

Speaking on The Morning Show, an Arise TV program, Bugaje described the APC-led government under former President Muhammadu Buhari and current President Bola Tinubu as disastrous.

During the interview, Bugaje emphasized the need for a new approach to governance, one that prioritizes competence over regional or ethnic considerations.

He stated, “I think this is a very familiar conversation in the last 25 years. I think so much has changed that that kind of conversation is actually outdated. Yes, politics is about popular participation. Yes, inclusion is very important. Yes, people need to make sense or have good reasons to be able to participate. But I think what has happened in the last 25 years is the fact that we have tried these kinds of models of the North and the South and this and that, yet the country is only going down the drain. I think it is time to start a new conversation, to start rethinking. How can we have democracy with development?”

According to him, Nigeria has been stuck in a cycle of underdevelopment due to the continuous recycling of the same political models.

He called for a shift from the “turn-by-turn” presidency to a system that prioritizes competence, adding, “Those tribes who had their chance, what have they done? Is it a tribal matter in the 21st century?”

Bugaje also reiterated his long-standing disapproval of the Buhari administration, asserting that it failed to bring any meaningful benefit to the North despite the overwhelming presence of northerners in the security sector.

“I have consistently said Buhari’s presidency was a disaster. And there are so many other ways that, you know, things that he did by, you know, putting too many northerners in the security sector for no benefit at all from the North,” he stated.

On the issue of leadership selection, Bugaje rejected the notion that the presidency should be decided based on regional balance, arguing instead for a system that prioritizes knowledge, competence, courage, and character.

“Why don’t you pick those competent Nigerians from the different parts of the country to fix and run your country? Why do you go for people who are barely educated, people who are crooks, people who clearly have no idea of where to take this country, who cannot engage the world, who don’t even understand?”

He lamented that many capable technocrats are pushed out of governance due to corruption and political maneuvering, adding, “The few that have come into government have been elbowed out. Some of them have been chased out of government because corruption will not accept the kind of thing that they want to do.”

Reflecting on Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic indicators, Bugaje warned that urgent action is needed.

“2030, just another five years from now, we are going to be 300 million. Already today, we have more than 33 million people on the verge of starvation. The United Nations, UN, bodies quote these figures. We have a deficit in grains alone for last year, more than 30 million metric tonnes. We have 20 million children out of school, the highest around the world.”

On the potential for political change in 2027, Bugaje dismissed the idea that power should automatically return to any particular region. Instead, he insisted that only leaders with strong character and competence should be considered.

He also expressed skepticism about former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s chances, despite supporting him in 2023.

“No. No. In fact, if you have been listening to what I have been saying, it is that this idea of supporting one candidate with whatever combination or balance of the ticket to go into the Villa to lock the gates and then the wife would become the Queen Elizabeth of the first and the children would become some prince and princess is outdated.”

He advocated for a collegiate leadership system that would bring together Nigeria’s best minds to solve the country’s pressing problems.

Bugaje also expressed concerns about the APC government, stating, “For me, the APC government from Buhari to date is a disaster for this country. I am not saying the PDP is going to do any better. I have said this several times that I don’t trust the APCs, the PDPs, the APGAs, the Labours. I don’t trust any of these political parties as they stand at the moment.”

Bugaje referenced global political shifts, such as recent events in Senegal and Kenya, to argue that incumbency is no longer a guarantee of political survival.

“Things are changing. You can look at the events in Kenya. So these things are, I mean, the dynamics are different,” he observed.

On potential alternatives, Bugaje revealed that he had considered supporting Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the last election.

“Honestly, I didn’t know Peter Obi enough to support him. I have been in this business for 25 years, and I saw there are ways you measure people. You size them up. And so the people that I saw around him are not people that are ready to take the nation together. They were all basically reacting or angry about a particular part of the country.”

He concluded by calling for a new approach to leadership selection, one that prioritizes competence over political ambition.

“If you cannot perform, you leave. What is the performance of the budget of 2024 for this particular president? My figure is that the budget performance was only 22 per cent. Do you think these kinds of people should be allowed to continue? Forget about the fact that he is from the South or from the North or from anywhere. For me, wherever he comes from, if he cannot perform, he should leave. Simple.”

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called on aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take advantage of the ongoing reconciliation efforts and return to the party.

Mbah made this appeal on Thursday while receiving members of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, led by former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, at the Enugu Government House.

The committee’s visit was aimed at briefing the governor on its efforts to address internal disputes within the party.

Describing Enugu as the “bastion of PDP,” Mbah urged the committee to ensure a genuine and lasting resolution that would encourage disaffected members to rejoin the party.

He stressed the importance of unity, stating, “The only way the party could win elections was through a united front, built on true reconciliation and justice.”

Highlighting the party’s cohesion in the Southeast, Mbah emphasized that significant efforts had already been made to reintegrate those who had left.

“We also believe that the Southeast is a stronghold of the PDP, and if we have people who are out now, it is not necessarily their desire to be out. So, what we need at this time is to bring back our aggrieved members to where they belong.”

Reaffirming PDP’s national influence, he added, “The PDP is still largely the party with the spread that is required to win any election in this country and still appeals to the people of this country.”

Mbah expressed confidence that reconciliation efforts would be fruitful, stating, “I have no doubt in my mind that those of our brothers who are just waiting for moments like this will be brought back to where they belong, and we can forge a strong alliance going into the next general elections.”

Earlier, the chairman of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Prince Oyinlola, identified internal disunity as a major factor in the party’s loss in the 2023 presidential election and other electoral contests.

He appealed to aggrieved party members to embrace peace, saying, “Nigerians need to invest their trust in PDP to do things right in the country.”

Also speaking, the Enugu State PDP Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunwike, described the reconciliation initiative as a crucial step in reviving the party’s strength in the state.

He noted that under Governor Mbah’s leadership, “the party was already witnessing a mass return of members who had left for other parties.”

The Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State, Barrister Casmir Uchenna Agbo, has refuted claims of his removal from office, stating that his 14-man executive committee has been granted an extension until a fresh election is conducted.

Speaking at a press briefing in Enugu on Wednesday, Agbo confirmed that the national executive committee, led by Dr. Julius Abure, had approved the reconstitution of the party’s executive committee in the state.

“I am addressing you on recent event that has happened in the state some few hours ago, 72 hours ago but before then, it is my pleasure to introduce the new approved list of approved exco members dated January 22, 2025,” he stated.

According to Agbo, “Our tenure was extended for continuity and for effective leadership.”

He further emphasized the official communication to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that “The national executive committee of our great party thereby informs INEC that following the expiration of the tenure of the committee members, it has been resolved to review to extend the tenure of the committee members for continuity and for effective leadership.”

Addressing the reports of his alleged removal, Agbo dismissed them as unfounded, insisting that he remains in office.

“The sacking of the chairman is null and void. The purported removal of the chairman is null and void,” he declared.

With the committee now reconstituted, Agbo assured that efforts would be made to strengthen the party, retain existing members, and bring back those who had left.

He stressed the need for unity, adding, “We are not suspending anybody. I therefore tell our members that bickering and crisis will not pay. We are asking our elected members not to leave the party that made them.”

On the political future of the party’s governorship candidate in the last election, Barr. Chijioke Edeoga, Agbo revealed that the party had advised him against rejoining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Politics is full of deceits. If you jump into a hole and get yourself crashed, don’t blame any man or woman. It is a game I pass you, you pass me. Once you deviate politically, you go down ten steps backwards. So, we advised Chijioke Edeoga not to go back to PDP. We also advised our members to come back to the party,” he said.

Agbo concluded by expressing confidence that the party’s leadership in Enugu is on the right track and committed to fostering internal cohesion for future electoral success.