Doris Ogala backs Nnamdi Kanu, calling him a “messiah” and promising to seek his pardon and release if elected Abia governor in 2027

Nollywood actress and African Action Congress, AAC, Abia State governorship candidate Doris Ogala has declared her support for detained Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, leader Nnamdi Kanu, saying on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, that she would seek his pardon and release if elected governor of Abia State in 2027.

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Ogala made the comments during an interview with ABN TV, where she described Kanu as a “messiah” and “prophet” whose warnings about Nigeria, in her view, had proved accurate.

“I support what Nnamdi Kanu is doing 100% because he’s like a messiah, he’s like a prophet that we didn’t see coming. Everything he has prophesied has come to pass. Everything he said is what is happening today,” Ogala said.

The actress, who is seeking the AAC ticket to govern Abia, said Kanu’s release would be among her first priorities if she secures victory at the 2027 election.

“And let me tell you something: if I am the governor today, the first thing I will seek for is Nnamdi Kanu’s pardon,” she said.

Ogala also expressed confidence that AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore would release Kanu if elected President of Nigeria.

She said the party was opposed to what she described as the treatment of Kanu and maintained that her support was based both on his IPOB leadership and her personal identification with him.

“Not only because he’s the leader of IPOB, but he’s also my brother, and I support him 100%,” Ogala said.

Her remarks come against the backdrop of Kanu’s prolonged legal battle and the wider political debate surrounding his detention, IPOB and calls from some groups for his release.

Kanu’s case has remained a sensitive issue in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East, where opinions about IPOB and its campaign for self-determination remain deeply divided.

Ogala further appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider Kanu’s continued detention and release him, while reiterating her belief that a future Sowore administration would take similar action.

The statement has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians online, with some commentators questioning whether making Kanu’s release a central campaign promise could influence Ogala’s prospects in the 2027 Abia governorship contest.

Others welcomed her position, arguing that the issue of Kanu’s detention deserves greater political attention.

For Ogala, however, the issue appears to be firmly connected to her broader political message and her stated intention to pursue what she considers a more decisive approach to issues affecting the South-East.

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With the 2027 elections approaching, her comments are likely to add another significant dimension to the political debate in Abia State, where questions of regional identity, security, governance and federal relations are expected to remain prominent.