The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, took Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to task over his comment that Kanu’s followers are an insane amount of people rooting for his back home.
As a result, therefore, Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who spoke for the family, has demanded explanations from the former governor what he meant by Kanu’s “insane amount of people rooting for his release”.
Kalu, who is representing Abia North at the Senate, had in a tweet after visiting Kanu in detention, said “This afternoon, I visited my brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, Abuja. I met him in good health and care and we discussed as ‘Umunne’ (brothers).
“In 2001 when I was Governor, I made his father Eze Israel Okwu Kanu traditional ruler of Akwara Ukwu and since then the family has been very close to me.
“I understand that Nnamdi has an insane amount of people rooting for his back home and I encouraged him to consider the consequences of certain actions and utterances for the sake of the same people.
“Even though, my ideology and his ideology are totally different, God has made us brothers and we can’t run away from each other. I owe him and Nigerians good counseling …Whether he and his family listen to me or not, I will continue counseling him as I have always done in the past. What we need most is a peaceful and secured society.”
In a swift reaction, Kanu’s family warned Sen. Kalu, accusing him of unnecessarily advertising his visit to their brother, Kanu “probably for political gains”, and expressed their rage and disappointment over what they called “confusing, incoherent, disparaging and uncomplimentary remarks”.
While cautioning the Senate Chief Whip against “making unguarded utterances on subjects beyond his comprehension”, expressed their dismay by asking, “What does Senator Orji Uzor Kalu want to achieve by those confusing and disparaging remarks? Is he saying that millions of followers of Nnamdi Kanu who feel disenchanted by the protracted and provocative marginalization and injustice perpetrated against Biafrans by the Nigerian authorities are insane?
“Who is Kalu working for? Must he advertise his visit to our brother? If he thinks he has any solution to offer can’t he work from behind the scene? Must he make a political gain of every issue?
“We are highly disappointed by his incoherent utterances. He must understand that our brother is not being persecuted because he stole, or committed any crime. His only crime, if at all it’s a crime, is asking for the freedom of the oppressed people of Biafra.
“Orji Uzor Kalu and his type are the reason the agitation for self-determination by our people is unending. How can he be trusted by the people? We have not forgotten his role in 2017 when our brother was in Kuje prison. What is his mission? Is he for or against Nnamdi Kanu?
“By his utterances, it is clear that he is no solution but part of the problems of our people. He shouldn’t forget that history will judge him for all his actions and inactions.
“In case Sen. Kalu doesn’t know, real Igbo leaders are working behind the scene to bring about solution to the problem of our people. They don’t make noise over it”.
The family advised him to retrace his wrong footsteps in matters that concern Ndigbo and mind his utterances.
Copyright PUNCH.
