Sowore Calls Out Soludo, Abaribe, and Obi: Time to March to Aso Rock for Kanu’s Release

   Sowore Calls Out Soludo, Abaribe, and Obi: Time to March to Aso Rock for Kanu’s Release

On October 7, 2025, Omoyele Sowore, a prominent Nigerian activist and founder of the #RevolutionNow movement, issued a clarion call for action, challenging Southeast leaders and citizens to join a peaceful march to Aso Rock Villa in Abuja to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In a fiery social media post, Sowore specifically called out Anambra Governor Charles Soludo, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abia Governor Alex Otti, and former presidential candidate Peter Obi, urging them to move beyond rhetoric and join a collective push for justice. As Kanu’s detention drags into its fifth year, Sowore’s challenge has sparked renewed debate about Nigeria’s handling of self-determination voices and the Southeast’s political will.

Sowore’s challenge, posted on X under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, was both a rallying cry and a direct indictment of what he called “empty noise” from leaders who claim to support Kanu’s release. “I will set aside my differences with some politicians for one cause,” Sowore wrote. “I challenge every politician or person of good conscience from the Southeast who says they want @NnamdiKanu released to stop the rhetoric. Time for action is NOW. Let’s march to Aso Rock Villa.”

The post explicitly named Soludo, Abaribe, Otti, and Obi, alongside traditional rulers, priests, and everyday Nigerians, to join a “peaceful, legal, and visible” march to demand an end to Kanu’s “persecution.” Sowore, who promised to lead the protest, framed it as a unified stand against what he and Kanu’s supporters see as selective justice by the Nigerian government.

Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB’s leader, was abducted in Kenya in June 2021 and rendition to Nigeria without legal extradition proceedings. A 2022 Court of Appeal ruling ordered his release, citing an unlawful arrest, but the federal government’s appeal led to the Supreme Court overturning the decision in December 2023. As of October 8, 2025, Kanu remains in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), with his trial stalled by adjournments, the latest in April 2025. His prolonged detention has fueled unrest in the Southeast, including attacks by “unknown gunmen,” and drawn criticism from groups like Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who argue his release is key to regional stability.

Sowore’s call is rooted in his long history of confronting Nigeria’s political establishment. A former publisher of Sahara Reporters and two-time presidential candidate for the African Action Congress, Sowore has faced his own arrests, including in 2021 while attending Kanu’s trial. He revealed in 2023 that he participated in secret talks to secure Kanu’s release, which were derailed by political interests in Imo State fearing electoral fallout. Sowore’s #FearlessInOctober protests, launched on October 7, 2025, also demanded freedom for Kanu and other detainees from the #EndBadGovernance and #EndSARS movements, aligning his latest challenge with a broader fight against state repression.

Sowore’s challenge has resonated with Kanu’s supporters. Senator Abaribe, a vocal advocate for Kanu, reiterated his demand for release in October 2025 but has not confirmed participation in the proposed march at the time of filling this report. 

Soludo, Otti, and Obi have remained silent on the challenge, focusing instead on state governance or national economic critiques. Critics, including some Northern voices, have labeled the call divisive, with former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad calling Kanu’s advocates “enemies.” Sowore countered, describing Kanu as a “hostage” denied due process. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has since joined the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign, staging protests in solidarity.

Sowore’s challenge highlights Nigeria’s ethnic and political fault lines. While Yoruba and Northern leaders have secured leniency for agitators like Sunday Igboho and Bello Bodejo, Kanu’s detention underscores accusations of selective justice against the Igbo. IPOB has warned that continued inaction could deepen regional alienation. If the march materializes, it could pressure President Bola Tinubu’s administration, especially with 2027 elections looming. However, Sowore’s own history,arrested during #RevolutionNow protests suggests the government may respond with force, risking further escalation.

As Kanu’s trial lingers, Sowore’s call tests the courage of Southeast leaders and the resilience of Nigeria’s civic space. Will Soludo, Abaribe, Otti, and Obi join the march to Aso Rock, or will the cry for Kanu’s freedom remain, as Sowore put it, “empty noise”? For now, the nation watches, and the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow continues to trend. 

Family Writers Press International.