THE demand for a referendum on a separate state of Biafra is a constitutional impossibility, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has said.

Obono-obla was reacting to the call for a referendum by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

In an interview with Sun Newspaper the Presidency described such calls as a waste of time and also stated that even restructuring would not solve the myriad of problems confronting the nation.

“The demand for a referendum with regards to Biafra is a constitutional impossibility. It is a legal and political impossibility. There is no provision in the constitution of the country or any other law that provides for a part of the country to break away. It is a nonsensical demand. Biafra ended on the January 15, 1970. I think the agitators are just expressing their rights to freedom of expression,” he said.

When reminded that even though it is not in the country’s constitution, the issue of referendum has become an international legal instrument for self-determination groups to realise their dream, Obono-obla said “The international law does not take precedence over the Nigerian constitution. If you want to ratify any treaty or international convention, the National Assembly has to approve it. You cannot begin to use the international law to deal with municipal, local and national issues. Let them stop wasting their time. There is nothing like that. The agitators are just wasting their time and that is why I am saying that they are just expressing their right to the freedom of expression.”

He also said if Nnamdi Kanu has flouted his bail conditions, the law would deal with him.

On why Arewa youths who recently gave the Igbo a quit notice has not been arrested even when their offence is similar to that of the IPOB leader, he said, “Which of the offences is worse? Is it the one that wants a separate state for itself and breaking away from the country or the one that gave the quit notice and says some people should leave a part of the country?”

On the cause of these sudden rise in tension and calls for disintegration in the country, Obono-Obla said, “Some people are not happy that President Muhammadu Buhari won the 2015 presidential election. Some people are not happy that their access to making big money has been blocked. They are those who want to destabilise the country. Period! When Jonathan was in power, all the major positions were taken by the South East. Then, they were not talking and they were not asking for Biafra. Why did they have to wait until Buhari came to power before the agitation. It is the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) who are sponsoring these people.”

When reminded that even though it is not in the country’s constitution, the issue of referendum has become an international legal instrument for self-determination groups to realise their dream, Obono-obla said “The international law does not take precedence over the Nigerian constitution. If you want to ratify any treaty or international convention, the National Assembly has to approve it. You cannot begin to use the international law to deal with municipal, local and national issues. Let them stop wasting their time. There is nothing like that. The agitators are just wasting their time and that is why I am saying that they are just expressing their right to the freedom of expression.”

sirequity:
IPOB

evilyoruba:
Who makes law and for whom ....People make law for people....many laws were not in the constitution before now, yet people go by, so referendum must come by....northern soldiers who made the constitution were never law makers, so throw the damn constitution away immediately and give biafran referendum.... Is not by force to live together

Paperwhite:
Who told you it's not possiblel? The Constitution can be amended.So the defective system Nigeria operates should continue? Everybody is just tired of this country.A revolution is at hand that will sweep these useless people holding this nation to ransome because they're benefitting from the statuquo.So don't worry,Nigeria will either divide peacefully or by force.Meanwhile this man alongside the attorney general and the EFCC have been endlessly losing high-profile anti-corruption cases because of poor legal technicalities is the one talking this shit.

hakeem4:




Nnamdi Kanu will not hear this now, when the war start he'd just go OJUKWU on his igbo people

Aufbauh:
That's why i've always advised those Ipob miscreants fooling after one psychopath to stop wasting their youthfulness pursuing pathetic aimless and untenable dream.

They should rather channel their profound energy to meaningful and realistic goal instead of giving solidity to whirlwind..

But If they want to continue their exercise , they at liberty after all the Catalonia has been agitating for a secession for the past 300 years.

mgbadike81:
he's only doing his job,like other politicians, he would demand exactly for the opposite should his party lose the 2019 general elections and slide into the opposition.