Why Should Buhari Pardon Nnamdi Kanu? – Yakasai Asks

Elder statesmen, Tanko Yakassai has kicked against calls for the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Naija News recalls that some Igbo leaders led by a First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, last week Friday, visited President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock and appealed for the unconditional release of Kanu.

Though President Buhari told them they made a difficult and huge request, the Nigerian leader promised to consider their appeal.

But in an interview with Trust TV on Thursday, Yakassai queried the rationale behind the plea for President Muhammadu Buhari to release the IPOB leader.

He asked the President to ignore the call for Kanu’s release after being accused of instigating the killings of many security operatives and his involvement in terrorism.

Yakasai said: “Buhari is the president, he has the power to forgive and pardon whomever he wishes. I will not stop him from doing that (pardoning Kanu), I don’t have the power to stop him, but I would not do it if I were him.

“I would not forgive or pardon somebody who declared war against this country. I am a committed nationalist, I fought for this country, I went to prison many times for this country.

“What contribution did Nnamdi Kanu do to Nigeria or even to Igbo people? He did not bring Biafra, he met Biafra, he was young at the time Biafra was declared. So, it is up to President Buhari, he is the president of this country.

“I’m not Fulani, but I’m Hausa. So, I have no power to stop Buhari from pardoning Nnamdi Kanu, it is his power to do it, but I’ll not support it.”