Our correspondents

Some delegates of the 2014 National Conference, groups and human rights activists on Friday countered President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on calls for the independence of Biafra and other secession agitations. They asked him to allow a referendum that would give agitators the chance to decide their fate on the matter.

There have been agitations by the Indigenous People of Biafra and some other groups to secede from Nigeria but the President has repeatedly described Nigeria’s unity as non-negotiable.

Also on Thursday, during a meeting with the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers at the Presidential Villa, the President reiterated his stance that Nigeria should remain united.

However, a delegate to the 2014 Confab and National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba group, Yinka Odumakin, berated the President’s stance on the issue, saying “there is basically nothing that is non-negotiable about Nigeria.”

Odumakin said, “At this stage, there must be a referendum in the South-East in line with the United Nations’ instrument on self-determination to determine if the people want a separate country or if they want to stay within Nigeria and on what terms. It is only a poor student of history that cannot see where all this will end if we fail to deal with it in a civilised manner.

“Soviet Union, with all its might, broke up in days without a gunshot being fired. Various countries sprouted from its ruins and are now fulfilling their manifest destiny. You cannot keep people in a forced marriage in this age of self-determination.”

Likewise, another 2014 Confab delegate, Prof. A.B.C. Nwosu, who said Nigeria was practising “fake federalism”, also called for a “referendum throughout Nigeria for us to decide on the decisions we took at the 2014 National Conference.”

“If there is a thorny issue that is likely to pull at the basic fabric of the nation and we want to determine it with a referendum, it is alright with me, that is democracy. I have nothing against referendum. And nobody is good enough to preside over a people without their consent,” Nwosu said.

In his view, one of the delegates at the last Confab, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, who called on Nigerians to learn to build the nation and not marginalise any region in the process, however, added that “in modern political life, everything is negotiable.”

Mohammed, who is also the Convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, added, “So, I don’t believe in Buhari telling us that anything is not negotiable. You do not make a nation by enforcing your world view on the nation. There are over 186 million Nigerians today and it is a very bold or reckless man who will imagine that Nigerians can agree on a single concept of nationhood.”

According to the Publicity Secretary, Osun State Civil Society Coalition, Mr. Ismaeel Uthman, negotiating the unity of Nigeria will bring the needed peace in the country.

Uthman said, “Constitutionally, Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable. But by convention, Nigeria’s unity can be negotiated to create room for understandable cohabitation and peaceful coexistence to strengthen the country’s unity.

“Referendum is a globally recognised mechanism for secession, but our constitution does not support secession. But if a zone or region in Nigeria feels cheated or is not comfortable with the treatment it is receiving from the Federal Government, it is morally right to get the government and the international community to listen to it through a referendum.”

The National Secretary of Anioma Youth Forum, Mr. Bath Ozah, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Asaba, Delta State, said, “If the President wants the youth to stop the agitation for Biafra, he should treat all religions, social groups and states equally. But if he continues with his old method, there is no reason the unity of this country called Nigeria is not negotiable.”

The spokesman for the Edo State Civil Society Organisations, Osazee Edigin, said, “A referendum should be carried out as it has been done in Sudan and other countries of the world.”

A human rights activist based in Minna, Niger State, Chijoke Ike, said, “You cannot force a person or group of persons to belong where they don’t want to belong; they have the right of choice, according to the UN charter.”

According to Mohammed Dalami, another activist, the constitution of Nigeria gives every citizen the right to associate.

“The fight for sovereignty is through referendum. Referendum is the only tool in a civilised society to get sovereignty.

“Just recently, Britain pulled out of the European Union after a referendum. The same thing happened in South Sudan, so Nigeria cannot be an exception,” he said.

Also, human rights activists, Dagana Haske and Mr. Inibehe Effiong, said they did not believe in Nigeria breaking up, but faulted the approach being used by the President to deal with agitators.

“The Federal Government lacks the requisite constitutional enablement to convoke a referendum. The 1999 Constitution does not provide for a framework for holding a referendum. It will take a constitutional amendment for such a referendum to hold. But there is nothing wrong in holding a referendum,” Effiong said.

The Chairman, Ohaneze Ndigbo in Delta Central and South area of Delta State, Mr. Jude Chiedozie, said dissolution was not the answer to the many challenges confronting Nigeria as a country.

The Igbo leader, however, said “referendum is not a bad idea if our leaders are sincere. There is nothing wrong if we decide to discuss as a people.”

A member of the Ohana-Eze Ndigbo in Adamawa State, Chief Ofor Nwachukwu, who is the immediate past President of the Igbo Cultural Association in Adamawa, said the clamour for secession by some “people will continue until the Nigerian state is willing to be more accommodating.”

Source
http://punchng.com/biafra-allow-referendum-2014-confab-delegates-groups-tell-buhari/

Make I Sidon for here dey watch.

People are now bold. Step one.

Abeg who get that GEJ opening speech at the 2014 confab?

If as mentioned in the post that there is no provision in the Constitution for holding a referendum, why ask for a referendum instead of asking for constitutional amendment to provide a framework on how to go about it?

Marriage is not by force.

Too much wahala for this present administration now

The wise people have spoken.

Nigeria is the only country in the world that does not include referendum in its constitution.
This makes me feel the country is an original fake

What is good for Britain is good for Nigeria.

Those who make peaceful change impossible, only make radical change inevitable.

FP material!

Lajet:
Marriage is not by force.

My brother from the east. We love you so much. Till death do us part

Igbos want presidency not Biafra--Nwanyanwun.
Odumakin & co, pls keep quiet as you can't know better than an Authority in Igbo land... eziokwu!
Truth is mine!

Referendum is the only way out,Buhari can't rule Nigeria forever,Nigeria is a fake country that cannot stand the test of time.
Time will tell.
Kiss the truth.

Referendum is not in our constitution for God sake and Buhari is not a law maker. If south east serious about their agitation then their representative in the national assembly should push for constitution ammediment to include referendum. IPOB are not yet serious about self independent, they just want to criticize PMB.

Opakan2:
Honestly I'm tired and angry at this useless biafrau.d talk every damn time

I mean fvck these people.. who even needs them?
criminals, baby factory owners, prostitutes, ritualists, drug traffickers and every damn evil thing in this world
gosh!

Why are you forcing yourself to live with people you hate so much ,you call them names and yet always very agitated anytime you hear Biafra.

Opakan2:
Honestly I'm tired and angry at this useless biafrau.d talk every damn time

I mean fvck these people.. who even needs them?
criminals, baby factory owners, prostitutes, ritualists, drug traffickers and every damn evil thing in this world
gosh!

Exactly.... Dats why we need to make sure they go their separate way
How can u share ur beloved country with characters u just listed...
Let's make sure they go

CandyDiamond:

Why are you forcing yourself to live with people you hate so much ,you call them names and yet always very agitated anytime you hear Biafra.

do you have comprehension problems?

I hate noisemakers who are so confused to stand by anything and make it work.. over a year now and still this bullshit talk, no action
yet all your traditional rulers have gone to Aso rock to butt-lick fulani president you lots love to hate

I'm sure other serious and intelligent people here are fed up too.. so take several seats boy/girl and stop quoting me

QuietHammer:

My brother from the east. We love you so much. Till death do us part

Lame
Quit making jest of ya self

muykem:
Referendum is not in our constitution for God sake and Buhari is not a law maker. If south east serious about their agitation then their representative in the national assembly should push for constitution ammediment to include referendum. IPOB are not yet serious about self independent, they just want to criticize PMB.

Is this wat u tell ya self
Like seriously

KidsNEXTdoor:

Exactly.... Dats why we need to make sure they go their separate way
How can u share ur beloved country with characters u just listed...
Let's make sure they go

I don't give a flying fvck what the flattinos want... They all can go die in the lagoon for all I care
yorubas they are waiting for to champion Nigeria's split don't send them one bit. we frown at treason

They got their fair share during GEJ's tenure and it was GEJ till 2019.. but all of a sudden, Nigeria must divide

useless fvcktards

Opakan2:


do you have comprehension problems?

I hate noisemakers who are so confused to stand by anything and make it work.. over a year now and still this bullshit talk, no action
yet all your traditional rulers have gone to Aso rock to butt-lick fulani president you lots love to hate

I'm sure other serious and intelligent people here are fed up too.. so take several seats boy/girl and stop quoting me

Pls Are u among the serious and intelligent people?

Nice..

KidsNEXTdoor:

Pls Are u among the serious and intelligent people?

hey kid... fvck off my mentions

I'm not your playmate

Opakan2:


I don't give a flying fvck what the flattinos want... They all can go die in the lagoon for all I care
yorubas they are waiting for to champion Nigeria's split don't send them one bit.

They got their fair share during GEJ's tenure and it was GEJ till 2019.. but all of a sudden, Nigeria must divide

useless fvcktards

Hmmmmm
I sense anger and hate for this "Igbos"
How do u sleep at night knowing they are still alive and making money
Must be horrible being u bro

Opakan2:


hey kid... fvck off my mentions

I'm not your playmate

Actually u are my next door neighbor
And the moniker says kidsnextdoor
Go figure

KidsNEXTdoor:
Exactly.... Dats why we need to make sure they go their separate way How can u share ur beloved country with characters u just listed... Let's make sure they go

I like the way u answered the afonjo... sorry afonja. #inbiafrawestand.

NEVER!

muykem:
Referendum is not in our constitution for God sake and Buhari is not a law maker. If south east serious about their agitation then their representative in the national assembly should push for constitution ammediment to include referendum. IPOB are not yet serious about self independent, they just want to criticize PMB.

Oh shut up. Which constitution made you a Nigerian? The constitution isnt not as important as the people.

Nigerians baffle me. In this day and age, someone will be telling another person that they must be together wether they like it or not? How does anyone expect a good outcome in such a situation? The Government should give a referendum let everyone decide where they belong. If Britain that created Nigeria can do it twice in the last two years, who is Nigeria to say otherwise?

Opakan2:


do you have comprehension problems?

I hate noisemakers who are so confused to stand by anything and make it work.. over a year now and still this bullshit talk, no action
yet all your traditional rulers have gone to Aso rock to butt-lick fulani president you lots love to hate

I'm sure other serious and intelligent people here are fed up too.. so take several seats boy/girl and stop quoting me

Can you mention one thing you grave digging, ritual skull selling wise man, has ever made to work in South West...just one thing...


see>>>

Village boys arrested for stealing 30 human skulls:

Monday, November 7, residents of Arikuyeri village, in Iyana-Offa, Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, believed that the caving in of many graves around was as a result of ageing of the burial places...A gang of human skull thieves had actually been at work. They had been roaming the village and exhuming “biscuits,” as skulls are referred to in their secret parlance. In the night, the elements had always dug the graves for skulls, fresh or stale.