IPOB differs with Osinbajo over pro-Biafran agitators 

IPOB blasts Osinbajo/sd

IPOB differs with Osinbajo over pro-Biafran agitators

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha and From GEORGE ONYEJIUWA,OWERRI

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday tackled Acting President Yemi Osinbajo over his alleged threat to jail pro-Biafran agitators for causing breach of constitution.

The group wondered why the Acting President should say Biafra agitators who, through the instrumentality of IPOB were exercising their God-given and inalienable right to self- determination, were in violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

A statement by Media and Publicity of IPOB,  Emma Powerful said Biafra agitation was not all about war and has never asked for war, rather, what it is asking for, is self-determination. He said  it could be achieved through the internationally recognised instrument of referendum.

The statement read: “For such a statement to escape the lips of a learned fellow like Prof. Osinbajo confirms the widely held view that African leaders lack the discipline to operate a constitutional democracy in a modern world.

“How can he threaten jail term for those exercising their right to self-determination under laws adopted and ratified by Nigeria? This confirms again the widely held view that legal practice in Nigeria is one almighty joke. We are challenging Prof. Osinbajo to show the whole world how, where and when IPOB committed this offence he alluded to since the inception of the current phase of the agitation.

“Nigeria must understand how ready we are to go to prison. They should build more detention facilities because we cannot stop agitating for our right to self-determination until the Nigerian government accepts the need for a date for referendum on the question of Biafra.

“Professor Yemi Osibanjo should have consulted superior legal minds to advice him before coming on air to make such misleading comments. The Nigerian Constitution and its provisions cannot supersede international charters and treaties freely entered into by Nigerian where such treaties appear to render null and void the obnoxious provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

“Those that wrongly advised Prof. Osinbajo to embark upon the citation of the ill conceived constitutional reference to the indissolubility of Nigeria, should refer to the landmark Nigerian Supreme Court judgment on the case of Abacha Vs. Fawehinmi. United Nations charter on the rights of indigenous people and African charter which was ratified and signed by Nigeria, is still in place till today and overrides the Nigerian Constitution on the rights for the indigenous people to the self-determination.

“We are also warning the vocal few commentators in Nigeria to stop the perverse insinuation that Biafra agitation is all about war. IPOB is not asking for war, rather, what we are asking for is self-determination and the only way to achieve that is through the internationally recognised instrument of referendum or plebiscite,” Powerful stated.

Meanwhile, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has reiterated that every part of Nigeria is home t o all Nigerians following the insistence by Arewa youths that Igbo in the North must leave region on or before  October 1, 2017.

This was just as he assured northerners living in the state of their safety and that no one should leave the state on account of the quit order to Igbo by Arewa youths, stressing that Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble nation under God.

 Okorocha, who stated this on Monday night when he broke fast with Muslims in the state at the Government House, Owerri maintained that Nigerians ought to have outgrown such petty ethnic sentiments as every Nigerian has the inalienable right to settle in any part of the country and that is why Igbo live and also marry in the North.

“We are here as a tradition to break the fast with our Muslim brothers who have been fasting for so many weeks now. We are here to dramatise unity and love for one another. We Nigerians must learn to respect each other’s religion because religion has a lot to do with every individual or society. “We should also be our brothers’ keeper as preached by every religion. I want to assure all Muslims in Imo State that you are safe in the state. Let no one leave the state for any reason. This is Nigeria and Nigeria is one nation, indivisible and indissoluble.

 “When we heard about the call by Arewa Youths  asking Igbo to go back home, I said to them, which home? Nigeria is our country, Nigeria is our home and as such, we must love one another. I tell all of you here that Imo State is your home, irrespective of your religion. Feel free and keep the laws of the land because we are one and shall remain one in God’s name.”

Meanwhile, leader of the Muslim Community in Imo State, Alhaji Yusuf Nwaoha and his Abia State counterpart, Alhaji Usman Mohammadu  thanked the governor for sustaining the breaking of fast with Muslim faithful in the state for the past 6 years and enjoined him to handover the legacy to his successor in 2019.

They also thanked the government and people of the state for the peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims and called for its sustenance.

The two Muslim leaders honoured the governor with awards. While the Muslim leader in the state, Alhaji Yusuf gave award to the governor as the Most Muslim-Friendly Governor in Nigeria, his Abia State counterpart, Alhaji Mohammadu gave the governor award as the National Bridge Builder.