Pan-Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has demanded that the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, must be within the ambit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in conformity with global best practices.
To ensure that the IPOB leader gets a fair hearing, the organization said it had constituted a legal team led by its national legal adviser and eminent Igbo leaders to monitor the legal proceedings throughout the trial.
These were part of the resolutions contained in the communiqué issued by the organization after its National Executive Committee meeting held in Enugu on Saturday July 10, signed by its national publicity secretary, Hon. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia.
It stated: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has observed with keen interest the recent re-arraignment and consequent trial of our son, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“Inasmuch as Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not averse to the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we however submit that he should be tried within the ambit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in line with global best practices.”
The organization also expressed its support for 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 five per cent share of the Petroleum Industries Bill (PIB) for the host communities.
It said further that while it identifies with the Igbo youths in their grievances over Igbo marginalization, menace of the Fulani herdsmen, among others, it does 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 sheathe their swords as the South East leaders and stakeholders address these our collective grievances through meaningful dialogue and negotiations,” it said.
It also advised Igbo youths to take advantage of the ongoing voters’ registration, saying this is the only means to guarantee effective participation in Nigerian politics “and a sine qua non to achieving our goals and aspirations in the Nigeria project.”