Gov Uzodinma denies blocking Tinubu from releasing Nnamdi Kanu, accuses PDP of blackmail

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has denied allegations that he blocked President Bola Tinubu from facilitating the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Uzodinma accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of using the story as a form of blackmail ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Public Communications, Collins Ughalaa, Governor Uzodinma stated that the PDP had resorted to blackmail due to their realization that they might lose the upcoming governorship election.

He maintained that the story of him preventing Tinubu from facilitating Kanu’s release is entirely false.

The statement reads in part: “We know that the disgruntled opposition party can do anything, including supporting or sponsoring terror in the state, but we thought the party still had some shame. However, the recent desperation to blackmail Governor Hope Uzodinma with the fake story that the governor is blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu shows that the party is capable of doing any evil without scruples.

“In a fake story titled: ‘Uzodinma blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu – Tinubu,’ and being circulated by the PDP and their agents, the party falsely accused the governor of blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“The story is false in its entirety. Not only did President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not make the statement they falsely credited to him, the governor never made any move to block Kanu’s release, neither did he reach out to the President not to release Kanu. There is no reason for such a move whatsoever.”

Reports had claimed that Tinubu accused Uzodinma of stopping him from facilitating Kanu’s release during a meeting with Igbo businessmen in Abuja on Monday.

However, the presidency had denied such reports, stressing that Tinubu never made such a remark.