TheCable

Ifeanyi Ubah, senator representing Anambra south, has explained why he’s seeking a court order to visit Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in detention.

The senator, through Agugoesi Ikem, his counsel, had filed a motion on October 15 to visit Kanu in DSS custody.

“An order of this honourable court granting leave to Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah to visit the defendant, Nnamdi Kanu, as part of his legislative oversight function,” the notice had read.

Speaking with Arise TV on Monday, Ubah said his goal was to engage the IPOB leader to “get him to talk to his people” about their stand on the Anambra governorship election.

The proscribed group had threatened to lock down the south-east if Kanu is not released from detention by November 4.

The proposed sit-at-home protest would affect the Anambra governorship election which is billed for November 6.

Ubah, who is the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the election, said, “IPOB is a very big force,” adding that he hopes to persuade them “to look into the issue” because boycotting the election “doesn’t really help our people”.

“You must understand that Nnamdi Kanu has a lot of followership in the south-east. So, the government should take him seriously. But we are engaging and finding political solutions to this issue. We are engaging with IPOB and showing them the importance of this election. The most important thing is that the election is constitutional, and I’m also very much sure that on the day of the election, there would be a peaceful election in Anambra state,” the senator said.

“I’m the only politician that’s working hard to see the reader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, so that I can also have the opportunity of talking to him and get him to talk to his people to look into the issue. Because the election is constitutional, and if really anybody loves our people, they shouldn’t be saying there’ll be no election.

“It doesn’t really help our people. If there’s no election, there will be voters apathy, and somebody might come in and then do something that might not augur well.

“IPOB is a very big force because most of them are not even in Nigeria. And they have their way with the media, and people are listening to them. So, that’s why I have dedicated myself to how we can bring in and proffer a political solution.”