"If you need $30 billion loan, release IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu"_ Nigerian senate

Nigerian Senators have backed calls from most quarters urging President Buhari to release political detainee Nnamdi Kanu. The Senators had visited President Buhari some days ago. The presented a list of demands as pre-condition for supporting the $29.9 billion external loan sought for by the President. The National Assembly had kicked out the bill even before it was debated. Following the development, the President has so far met with Senate President Bukola Saraki three times in one week. The delegation was led by Deputy Senate President, Sen Ike Ekweremadu and Sen Eyinnaya Abaribe. The Senators lamented the wholesale marginalization of the South East political zone. Ekweremadu spoke to State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, saying “Senators from the South East believes in dialogue. “So we decided to visit the President and present to him some of the concerns of the South East. “Among the many issues discussed, we harped on the poor condition of roads and infrastructure. “We also discussed the issue of security with him and of course the issue of IPOB. “We told him to release Nnamdi Kanu as a precondition for us to back his proposed loan of about $30 billion. “We had a good conversation and he promised to look into the issues we raised. “We know that there are problems everywhere but we also believe that the South East is the zone that is far much short-changed. “We also talked about the issue of appointments from the South East, especially with respect to the National Security Council. “The President also told us that governors of the South East have also engaged him on the same problems. “We were reassured by the response we got from the President and we look forward to further interaction with him.”