Former Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Apostle Eugene Ogu, has condemned the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027 by some South-East political leaders, describing it as a betrayal of the Igbo cause and a curse if Nnamdi Kanu remains in detention.
Speaking in Port Harcourt, Apostle Ogu reacted sharply to the recent APC stakeholders’ meeting in Enugu, where Tinubu was reportedly endorsed by some South-East leaders for re-election.
Ogu, a vocal critic of political injustice, questioned the logic of endorsing the President while Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), remains in custody under the same administration.
He stated, “While northern political leaders negotiate and secure the release of people accused of killing, maiming and kidnapping Nigerians, these eastern politicians could not even secure the release of their own son and kinsman, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“I am calling on all Igbo associations, professionals, men, women, traders, students, youths and transporters, at home and abroad, to vehemently disassociate themselves from that embarrassing endorsement of Tinubu for a second term by sellout politicians in the South-East.”
Ogu’s comments come in the wake of the Katsina State Government’s release of 70 convicted bandits as part of a peace-building initiative. The cleric said the move laid bare the contrasting approaches to justice between northern and eastern leaders.
“It is painful to see those who destroyed lives and properties walk free under a so-called peace initiative, while Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who represents the legitimate concerns of the Igbo people, remains in detention,” he added.
The former PFN leader warned that the continued support for the APC-led government while Kanu remains detained would attract divine judgment and further isolate political leaders from the people they claim to represent.
He further stated, “The endorsement of President Tinubu by some Igbo APC leaders shows a clear disconnect from the realities on the ground in the South-East.
“We must not allow these politicians to continue misleading our people for selfish interests. Let them prove their sincerity by securing the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Until then, they speak only for themselves and not for Ndigbo.”
Ogu urged Igbos worldwide to remain united, vigilant, and politically conscious, stressing that loyalty to any government or party must be rooted in justice, equity and protection of Igbo interests.