A source in the presidency has berated the Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The Presidency accused Obi of having “separatist tendencies” and sympathising with IPOB.

Naijaonpoint reports that Obi, in a television interview on Sunday, demanded Kanu’s release, stating that there was no legal or moral justification for his continued detention.

Reacting, a Presidency source who preferred anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told Punch that the government would not interfere in Kanu’s ongoing trial, insisting that the case before the court must be allowed to run its course.

The source said, “Peter Obi has separatist tendencies. He supports IPOB, and he has said it publicly. But he wants to lead Nigeria. That’s a total contradiction.

“Let them wait until the trial is over. If he is not found guilty, he will be released.

“Everybody knows that Nnamdi Kanu’s case is in the court. Would he want the government to stop the court from doing its work? The trial is on. Let them wait until the trial is over.

“The state is alleging that he committed an offence, and the case is already on trial. If he is not found guilty, he will be released. If he is found guilty, there will be punishment for it.”

He added, “We cannot pronounce any judgment on behalf of the court. We should let the judiciary do its work. Once it finishes its work, we can talk from there. The case is on trial. So, we should allow justice to prevail; and the law to run its course.

“They cannot be truncating an ongoing trial. The state has alleged. It is trying to prove its case. So, if the state cannot prove its case, Nnamdi Kanu will be released.”