The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, weekend, constituted a legal team to monitor the court proceedings in the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
This was one of the resolutions adopted following the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Enugu.
In a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Chief Alex Chiedozie Ogbonna, the group stated that it was not opposed to the trial of the IPOB leader, but instead demanded that the rule of law be followed throughout the process.
“While Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not opposed to the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we submit that he should be tried in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and global best practices,” the communiqué stated.
“That as part of our avowed determination to ensure the fair trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we have constituted a legal team led by the national legal adviser of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and eminent Igbo leaders to monitor the legal proceedings throughout the trial.
“That we strongly support the stand taken by the Southern Governors’ Forum on anti-open grazing, restructuring, rotation of the president of Nigeria to the South in 2023, and the proposed 5% share of the Petroleum Industries Bill (PIB) for the host communities.”
In the communiqué, Ohanaeze also expressed solidarity with Igbo youths “in their frustrations regarding Igbo marginalization and the Fulani herdsmen’s threat.”
It however warned that, “We do not support the use of any form of violence to redress the relative deprivation and prevailing inequality and injustice across the country. We therefore urge the youths to be law-abiding and sheath their swords as the Southeast leaders and stakeholders address these collective grievances of ours through meaningful dialogues and negotiations.”
The group also asked Ndigbo to “take seriously the present voter registration exercise,” as it is “the only way to ensure meaningful involvement in Nigerian politics and a sine qua non for accomplishing our aims and aspirations in the Nigeria project.”
