Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has revealed what President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), will consider before granting the request for the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
It would be recalled that some respected Igbo elders led by Minister of Aviation in the First Republic, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, visited the President in Aso Rock.
During the visit on November 19, 2021, the elders requested the unconditional release of the detained secessionist leader.
In response, Buhari had told them he would not want to interfere in the running of the judiciary.
However, he added that he would consider their demand though “a heavy one.”
Addressing the request by the Igbo leaders when he appeared as a guest on NTA’s Good Morning Nigeria Show monitored by The PUNCH, Malami revealed that Buhari would consider the interest of over 200 million Nigerians before he takes any decision on Nnamdi Kanu case.
According to him, the President considered public interest as against the interest of sectional groups when he refused to assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill.
Malami said;
“By way of general statements to the two issues presented: the issue relating to electoral bill and the issue relating to Kanu and by extension, IPOB, what I can tell you for certain is that the decision of the President is based fundamentally and at all times on public interest consideration.
“In the art of governance and what I have come to learn about the mind and heart of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, is to consider the 200 million as against the limited people.
“By extension, the issue of Kanu, what would as well govern the decision of the President in terms of whatever request is presented is the public interest as against limited sectional interest of it.”
