Anambra state governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR has on Saturday, flagged off the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) campaign in Awka, Anambra state.
During the campaign, governor Soludo appealed to the government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as a means to enhance peace in the Southeast.
Soludo who is the national leader of APGA thanked President Muhammadu Buhari led Government for all the ‘kinetic approach’ support the Southeast had received towards quelling the insecurity in the region but noted that it was time to adopt the ‘non kinetic approach’.
He said time had come for a comprehensive dialogue on the security, future and prosperity of Southeast and that Nnamdi Kanu was a critical stakeholder at the table of the conversation.
The governor said that if the government would not release unconditionally, he was offering himself to stand as surety for Nnamdi Kanu adding that he would take custody of him and produce him whenever the time arose.
He said the Southeast was an integral part if Nigeria and everything that was necessary should be done to bring peace and security to the region.
“We thank you for all all the kinetic support in terms of the force, we have set up a peace and reconciliation committee to look at the remote and immediate cause of insecurity in the Southeast, we have been implementing the non kinetic approach, but it is now time for the Federal Government to help us with the last leg of this approach.
“We now need all the major stakeholders in the security project in the Southeast to come around the table for us to discuss the security and prosperity of the region.
“I now want to appeal, plead, request and demand of the President Mohammed Buhari PMB led Federal Government that a critical person required for that table of conversation to be complete, for an all round approach to security and future is Nnamdi Kanu, we need him urgently, release him to us.
“I am calling on the federal government to please release Nnamdi Kanu, if we cannot release him unconditionally as requested by the court judgement, i now offer to be his surety, release him to me, release Nnamdi Kanu to me, i will house him in Awka, let us bring the insecurity in the Southeast to an end,” Soludo pleaded.
Soludo described APGA as the only true democratic and progressives party in Nigeria while calling on the electorate to cast their votes for the party across-the-board.
He said Southeast and Anambra in particular were republicans which allowed people to express themselves freely and that people of other political leaning should campaign freely in the state.
“APGA is home for all progressives in Nigeria, we ask Nigerians to vote APGA all the way.
“In Anambra where we have held sway in the last 16 years, we have given Anambra progressives leadership and we want to replicate that across the country.
“The Southeast is free, we are democrats and republicans, everybody can come and campaign freely. as itinerant people, we cannot be intolerant people,” he said.
Dr Victor Oye, National Chairman of the party said the party had offered the electorate the best candidate for all the positions and called on them to vote APGA in all contested positions.
Oye said the request of Soludo had become necessary in the light of the challenges the region had been subjected to in recent time.
Lateefah Ibrahim
