“Stop Playing With Igbo Intelligence” — Ezemuo Ubani Slams Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu Over Comment On Nnamdi Kanu, Accuses Him of Exploiting Nnamdi Kanu’s Ordeal For 2027 Politics

A fresh wave of political tension has emerged following a strongly worded public statement issued by Ezemuo Ubani Dannie (Gbachia Gbachia 1 of Ngwa Land), who faulted remarks made by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, concerning the imprisonment of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Kalu had recently suggested that with the conclusion of Kanu’s court case, “the time has come to explore political solutions,” assuring that renewed appeals to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would yield results. He also noted that “all hope is not lost,” a statement he presented as an opening for fresh negotiations at the federal level.

However, Ezemuo Ubani Dannie rejected Kalu’s remarks, describing them as misleading and politically motivated. In a strongly phrased response, he accused the Deputy Speaker of “intellectual dishonesty, manipulation, political opportunism, self-promotion, and outright lies.”

According to Ubani, the claim that the pending court case hindered political intervention in Kanu’s release is “baseless,” arguing that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the constitutional power to terminate any criminal prosecution through the Attorney General of the Federation at any time.

He insisted that if Kalu truly intended to push for a political resolution, he could have advised President Tinubu to enter nolle prosequi to secure Kanu’s release long before now. “Case closed, simple,” he said, adding that Kalu’s new posture amounts to “toying with the collective intelligence” of the Igbo people.

Ubani also criticised what he described as a broader political scheme allegedly orchestrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections. He claimed the strategy includes securing a conviction for Kanu, breaking his morale, and ultimately releasing him through a presidential pardon to harvest political goodwill among the Igbo electorate.

He alleged that such moves would enable key political figures, including Kalu, to position themselves as heroes of Kanu’s release, thereby seeking political advantage, especially in Abia State.

Ubani emphasised that despite economic hardship and what he described as governance failures, “the senses and conscience” of Ndi Igbo remain sharp. He warned that the people are watching closely and will not be misled by political narratives crafted for electoral gain.

The statement ended with a direct message to Kalu, asserting that Ndi Igbo “are waiting” and will not forget those who attempt to exploit their collective pain for personal political relevance.

The development has triggered renewed debate across political circles in Abia and the Southeast, with observers noting that the issue of Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention remains one of the most sensitive subjects in contemporary Igbo politics.