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Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has distanced himself from separatist agitation amid calls for the release of the Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
An indifferent Soludo insisted that the South-East’s progress is tied to its unity with Nigeria.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor said while he supports dialogue and peaceful agitation, he does not share Kanu’s secessionist vision for the Igbo nation.
“We’ve made it very clear that if you are protesting or agitating for anything, you are holding yourself down by killing your own people under the pretext of Monday’s sit-at-home,” Soludo said.
He noted that the controversial sit-at-home directive has largely fizzled out in Anambra, adding, “Anybody sitting at home now is doing so out of his own preference, not because of insecurity, as it were, because everywhere is secure on Mondays.”
The governor acknowledged that Kanu’s IPOB had publicly dissociated itself from the sit-at-home order, blaming criminal elements for using it to terrorise residents.
“Even Nnamdi Kanu himself and his IPOB are on record to have said they did not support the Monday sit-at-home; it was some criminal elements doing that. And we thank them for their work,” he added.
While affirming his respect for the right to protest, Soludo emphasised that his administration’s focus remains governance, not activism.
“As for those who are agitating or going to have demonstrations, they have a right to do so. In a democracy, everybody has freedom of expression. But mine is to govern. While social activists do their job, I will do my own,” he stated.
Soludo disclosed that he had previously urged Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other South-East leaders to engage Kanu in dialogue when he is released, stressing that no single individual holds a monopoly on ideas about the region’s future.
“I said, why don’t they tell Nnamdi Kanu to come and sit with everybody else, because nobody has a greater right than the other? We are all Igbos, and we are all entitled to our views,” he said.
Rejecting separatist tendencies, the governor reaffirmed his belief in the indivisibility of Nigeria and the interdependence of its ethnic groups.
“I am of the view that the Igbo man needs Nigeria and Nigeria needs the Igbo man. The Igbo man needs Africa, and Africa needs the Igbo man. We are an itinerant people who cannot afford to be intolerant. That’s my view,” he said.
He further declared that God did not make a mistake in uniting Nigeria’s diverse peoples under one nation.
“Do we need Nigeria? Absolutely! And Nigeria needs us. That is my very deep belief. I canvass it with no apologies and hold on to that. I’m prepared to debate this with anyone on the future prosperity of the Igbos,” he maintained.
Soludo’s remarks come amid renewed nationwide calls for Kanu’s release, championed by opposition leaders including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and activist Omoyele Sowore, who are mobilising for a peaceful protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow slated for October 20 in Abuja.
While Obi and others insist dialogue and justice remain the only path to national reconciliation, Soludo’s comments signal a different emphasis—rooted in unity, coexistence, and a “livable and prosperous homeland” within a fairer Nigerian federation.
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