“Learn from history”, former governor Seriake Dickson advises Tinubu on Nnamdi Kanu
“Learn from history”, former governor Seriake Dickson advises Tinubu on Nnamdi Kanu
Former governor of Bayelsa state, Henry Seriake Dickson has on the 25th of November, 2025 advised president Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to ignore the relevance of historical reality in the handling of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu”s case.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was on November 20th, 2025 sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of the terrör related charges brought against him by the Nigeria’s authority.
Former governor Dickson who is currently a senator in the 10th Assembly, urged president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to listen to different calls for political solution that will necessitate the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and return of normalcy in the southeast region of the federation. He said many Nigerians who have been following Kanu’s trial in court, share the sentiment of his being released via political path.
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“The solution usually lies in the initiation of a political process, midwifed by broad-minded leaders who place the national good over personal, political, and regional biases”, he said
He highlighted that cases such as the one of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu which borders on secessionist agitation can not be resolved through court trial, sentencing or even state execûtion of the agitator. According to him, records show that state action such as imprisonment or execûtion separatists do not usually end well but indirectly strengthens and validates the ideology of the secessionists.
Legal processes do not address separatist agitations that are political and economic in nature. Historically, arrests, trials, convictions, and sentencing—even executions—do not solve these kinds of agitations
He emphasized that lasting peace in cases as that of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is usually achieved through negotiation. Hence, he demands the intervention of noble and broad-minded Nigerians in Kanu’s case necessary for his release and to bring to an end violent agitation in the southeast in which security personnels are targeted by agitators and kìlled.
The former Bayelsa state governor said these broad-minded people should be drawn from different sections of the country to initiate a political process to deliberate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release on condition that will ensure the cessation of violence in the southeast region.
He cited how former Nigerian head of state, Yakubu Gowon who at the age of 32, wittingly granted pardon to former Niger Delta separatist, Isaac Adaka Boro. According to him, general Gowon irrespective of his young age, was able to place the peace and unity of the country above ethnical and religious prejudices by pardoning Adaka Boro who had been sentenced to deàth.
He urged Nigerians and the Nigeria’s leadership to learn from the trial and sentencing of former South African president, Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison. He added that the amnesty program for the Niger Delta militants by the administration of late president Umaru Musa Yar’adua is another demonstration of the importance of leadership that prioritizes the unity and peace.
Therefore, he demands that the Tinubu’s administration should explore political process as means to sustaining Nigeria’s unity by granting pardon to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He stated that secessionist agitations that have economic and security undertone, can not be resolved through the court process.
