Omoyele Sowore, activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, says Nnamdi Kanu is in jail because he refused to campaign for President Tinubu like his counterpart, Sunday Igboho.
Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is serving a life in prison sentence in Sokoto correctional centre after being convicted of terrorism.
Sowore spoke to journalists on Monday after appearing in court over “cybercrime” charges. He said Kanu rejected political terms he alleged Igboho accepted.
Kanu Rejected Tinubu Terms
Sowore linked Kanu’s continued detention to his refusal to support Tinubu politically. He argued that Kanu would have been free if he had accepted the same conditions allegedly given to Igboho.
“Nnamdi Kanu is in jail today because he is different from Sunday Igboho,” he said.
He added that if Kanu were like Igboho, “he would be campaigning for Tinubu in the southeast now.”
Sowore said Kanu has rejected such offers for years.
The activist dismissed fears of political intimidation and insisted he would campaign anywhere in Nigeria.
“I will go anywhere in Nigeria to campaign, and I want to see him come and stop me,” he said, referring to Igboho.
He described the threats as psychological tactics designed to discourage opposition voices.
“They are just using them to scare you so that you won’t stand up,” he said.
He also questioned Tinubu’s support base.
“If Tinubu is truly supported by 33 governors, what is he afraid of?” he asked.
Sowore Criticises Igboho’s Politics
Sowore criticised Igboho’s style of politics and described it as transactional and self-serving.
He said it reflects what he called “amala politics” — a system of mutual political benefit.
He warned that such actions could damage Igboho’s legacy.
Sowore compared him to past political figures whose reputations declined due to similar decisions.
He said such paths often lead to what he described as a “hall of infamy”.
He added that such political ideas do not endure.
