The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said there is no safe, constructive, or informed grounds for granting the request of amnesty for Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the Forum, granting Nnamdi Kanu amnesty would further compound Nigeria’s security challenges.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Director, Publicity, and Advocacy of NEF, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.
The Forum said instead of a presidential pardon, which will make a mockery of Justice, the judicial process should be allowed to run its full course.
“Northern Elders Forum has carefully studied the request of Igbo elders for President Muhammadu Buhari to terminate the trial of Nnamdi Kanu and release him unconditionally.
“It has also noted President Buhari’s response which both raised very weighty issues related to the request, and his commitment to consider it.
“The Forum notes that there are no safe, constructive or informed grounds for granting the request, and advises that President Buhari will do serious injury to a country already threatened by multiple challenges to its security and territorial integrity if he delays announcing the only responsible response, which is that the judicial process in the case of Kanu must be allowed to run its course,” NEF stated.
Recall that early this month, traditional and religious leaders in the south-east had asked the president to grant amnesty to Kanu to deescalate tension in the zone.
But reacting, President Buhari had said though the unconditional release of Kanu contradicts the doctrine of separation of powers between the executive and judiciary, he will consider it.
“You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious. In the last six years, since I became President, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the judiciary,” he said.
On the planned removal of fuel subsidy in 2022, which will lead to an increase in the price of fuel, the forum contend that its would make an already worse situation dire for most Nigerians.
“the Forum invites attention to the hardship under which the vast majority of the population lives.
“Increasing poverty levels and widespread insecurity demand that leaders should exercise extreme caution in taking economic and security-related decisions.
“Increase in the price of fuel, in particular, will compound the already desperate condition of living of most Nigerians.
“It is important that decisions on this matter include considerations of the interests of the national economy, welfare of the citizen, and reactions of a hard-pressed citizenry.
