Following the unexpected conviction of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, after a protracted incarceration and legal process widely described as unjust by many observers, new allegations have surfaced regarding the motives behind the government’s actions.

Chief Dr. Emeka Kalu, Chairman of the E.C.K Foundation and a prominent political commentator, has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of orchestrating Kanu’s conviction not solely on legal grounds, but as a calculated political maneuver aimed at the 2027 general elections. According to Dr. Kalu, the government’s handling of Kanu’s case is steeped in political strategy rather than the pursuit of justice.

In a recent statement, Chief Kalu asserted that if the ruling party’s intentions were genuine, President Tinubu would have intervened to halt the trial and instead pursued a political solution through dialogue and negotiation, as has been advocated by various regional and international stakeholders. Instead, Dr. Kalu claims, the government facilitated Kanu’s conviction with the ulterior motive of later granting him a pardon, thereby using his release as a bargaining chip to secure political support and votes from the southeastern region, where Kanu commands a significant following.

Dr. Kalu pointed out that the southeast has historically felt marginalized in Nigeria’s political landscape, and the ongoing detention of Nnamdi Kanu has been a major point of agitation and unrest in the region. By timing a potential pardon close to the 2027 elections, the government could present itself as conciliatory, aiming to win over disaffected voters and quell separatist sentiments, essentially turning Kanu’s freedom into a tool for electoral gain.

He further emphasized that this approach undermines the principles of justice and fair trial, and risks deepening distrust between the federal government and the people of the southeast. “It is clear that the government is playing politics with the fate of an entire region, using the suffering of one man as leverage for electoral advantage,” Dr. Kalu said.

Chief Kalu, who is also the convener of several advocacy groups pushing for national unity and justice reform, called on civil society, international observers, and all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and demand transparency and fairness in the handling of Kanu’s case. He warned that politicizing such sensitive issues could have long-term consequences for national cohesion and peace.