RismadarVoice Reporters, August 19, 2026
The governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party in Abia State, retired General Ijioma Nwokoro Ijioma, has pledged to use every lawful avenue available to him to seek the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, if elected governor in 2027.
Ijioma, a former Director of Military Operations in the North-East, made the promise during a press conference in Umuahia ahead of the commencement of the governorship campaign.
He said Kanu’s continued detention was unacceptable and vowed to make efforts to secure his release a priority if he becomes governor.
The retired general said he would deploy legal, political and other constitutional means to pursue the matter.
“I speak without any fear of equivocation, when I become the governor of Abia State, I will compel the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.
Ijioma argued that Kanu’s case went beyond an individual’s freedom, describing it as an issue involving justice, citizenship and respect for the rule of law.
He said Kanu was an Abia indigene and assured that his administration would not allow the rights of any citizen of the state to be disregarded.
Ijioma criticised the Federal Government’s handling of Kanu’s case, alleging that the IPOB leader had been treated differently because of his Igbo background.
He condemned what he described as the maltreatment of Kanu and argued that the government’s approach to his case raised questions about fairness.
The APP candidate also compared Kanu’s case with those of other separatist and insurgent figures, including Sunday Igboho and detained or captured Boko Haram members who were subsequently released.
He questioned why the government had adopted what he described as different approaches to individuals involved in separatist or insurgent activities.
Ijioma recalled that during the administration of former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, he had approached the governor with proposals on how the state could intervene in efforts to secure Kanu’s freedom.
The governorship hopeful also pledged to surpass the performance of incumbent Governor Alex Otti if elected, particularly in infrastructure and other areas of development.
He said his administration would pursue an ambitious development agenda backed by a 23-point manifesto, which he described as his contract with the people of Abia.
Ijioma promised to make accountability and accessibility central to his administration, saying citizens would have direct channels to communicate with him and raise concerns about government policies.
He stressed that a governor should serve the people rather than exercise authority over them.
The APP candidate called on journalists to intensify their scrutiny of government activities and public spending.
He urged the media to question official claims and ensure that government policies and expenditure were subjected to public scrutiny.
Ijioma said citizens should be able to demand explanations from elected officials regardless of their social status.
Commenting on the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, Ijioma said the outcome demonstrated that political power and intimidation could not guarantee electoral victory.
He urged political parties to respect voters’ choices and allow citizens to freely determine their leaders.
The APP candidate also warned the ruling All Progressives Congress against repeating the mistakes of the Peoples Democratic Party, which previously dominated Nigeria’s political landscape.
He recalled that the PDP once controlled most of the country’s states and had projected itself as a long-term political force, but subsequently lost much of its influence.
Ijioma said the APC could suffer a similar fate if it failed to learn from the history of previous ruling parties.
Ijioma dismissed the influence of social media as a decisive factor in the 2027 Abia governorship election, arguing that voters would ultimately judge candidates based on their records and policies.
He also criticised claims of exceptional performance by the current administration, saying such claims should be subjected to independent scrutiny.
The former military officer urged Abians to assess candidates based on verifiable achievements rather than political publicity.
Ijioma also based his candidacy on the Abia Charter of Equity, arguing that the principle of power rotation had been disregarded in the 2023 governorship election.
He noted that Abia North had not produced a governor for about 19 years and argued that the district was allowed to produce the governor in 2023.
According to him, the absence of another candidate from Abia North on the platform of a major political party should not prevent an aspirant from the zone from contesting.
He maintained that his decision to seek the governorship was consistent with his interpretation of the principle of equity.
Despite his criticism of the incumbent administration, Ijioma commended Otti for providing N25m in support for the medical treatment of Nollywood actress Ngozi Nwosu.
He described the intervention as commendable but said his administration would seek to do more in the area of social welfare if elected.
Ijioma urged Abians to scrutinise government spending and compare the programmes and records of candidates as the 2027 election approaches.
