Write your name in gold, grant Nnamdi Kanu state pardon – APC chieftain begs Tinubu

An influential figure within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ikeagwuonwu Klinsmann, who serves as Director General of the party’s Digital Force, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to show mercy by granting a state pardon to Nnamdi Kanu, the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He argues that such an action would exemplify reconciliation, foster national healing, and reinforce the unity agenda.

In his plea, Klinsmann suggested that by exercising clemency, President Tinubu would “write his name in gold” in Nigeria’s history—leaving behind a legacy of magnanimity rather than prolonging animosity. He urged that the same spirit of mercy applied in recent pardons be extended to Kanu, positing that it would signal the administration’s preference for peace, dialogue, and national cohesion.

The APC leader emphasized that releasing Kanu would not be an admission of defeat but a demonstration of statesmanship. He maintained that it would help mend fractures in the body politic and advance Tinubu’s vision of unity across Nigeria’s communities.

Klinsmann’s appeal comes amid growing public calls—within and outside the southeast region—for the release of Kanu, especially given the court rulings in some instances that favor his discharge. He argued that the presidency should complement judicial determinations with political goodwill, thereby promoting trust in governance and the rule of law.

By granting a pardon, the administration would be seen to prioritize healing over prolonged contention, dialogue over force, and reconciliation over continued polarisation. The intervention, he said, could reset the tone of federal–regional relations and afford all citizens renewed hope in inclusive leadership.