The Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Digital Force, Ikeagwuonwu Klinsmann, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant a state pardon to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in what he described as a step toward national reconciliation and unity.
In a statement released on Tuesday from Stockholm, Sweden, Klinsmann urged the President to use the opportunity to “write his name in gold” by extending a gesture of forgiveness to Kanu, emphasizing that such a move would strengthen Tinubu’s image as a compassionate and inclusive leader.
“President Tinubu is a man with a heart of gold,” Klinsmann said. “His politics has always been guided by compassion, inclusiveness, and the vision of a united Nigeria. Granting Nnamdi Kanu a state pardon will not only showcase his magnanimity but also rekindle hope for lasting peace in the country.”
The APC chieftain noted that the ongoing detention of the IPOB leader continues to fuel divisions and unrest in parts of the country, particularly in the South-East region. He added that releasing Kanu would serve as a significant gesture of goodwill in Tinubu’s broader agenda of Renewed Hope and national healing.
Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest and extradition to Nigeria in 2021. He faces multiple charges, including treasonable felony, over his role in the secessionist activities of IPOB.
Klinsmann’s plea adds to growing calls from political leaders, civil society groups, and traditional rulers urging the Federal Government to consider a political solution to Kanu’s prolonged detention in the interest of peace and unity.
As tensions over the IPOB leader’s case persist, the appeal from within the ruling party underscores the weight of expectation on President Tinubu to make a decision that could reshape Nigeria’s path toward reconciliation.
