The Presidency has failed to respond to claims by the family of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, that President Bola Tinubu reneged on an agreement to release him if he comes to power.

Weekend Trust had contacted the Special Adviser, Media & Public Communication/Spokesperson to President Sunday Dare and the Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala for their reactions but did not receive any official response as of the time of going to press.

Kanu’s brother, Kanunta had disclosed in a statement that he had an agreement with Tinubu’s son, Seyi – with the blessing of his father, the president – during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.

Kanunta, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing the IPOB leader as agreed on the understanding that the group would not boycott the 2023 elections.

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He said, “Before the last election, I received a message from an ex-governor that Seyi, the son of President Tinubu, wanted to see me.

“I agreed to meet with him on the condition that the overriding priority and hence the fulcrum of our discussion will be the release of my brother.

“The meeting was held in Abuja in the presence of another individual whom I asked along to witness the deliberations and provide independent verification should the need arise.

“Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that I should consider any agreement we reach as binding on the then-candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In good faith, we agreed that I shall relay the outcome to my brother to reinforce the long-held tradition of IPOB not interfering with the conduct of elections, either through boycott or any other form of civil disobedience.”

He said the president also tacitly confirmed the agreement with his son during his campaign in Owerri, Imo State.