[size=14pt]Stop the madness in the north or risk provoking retaliation in parts of the country – OPC warns [/size]
By OLA AGBAJE

Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has called for immediate halt to the post-presidential election crisis currently raging in the northern parts of the country.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2011/apr/19/sun/Fasheun[1].jpg[/img]
Fredrick Fasehun

OPC made the call in a statement signed by its founder, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, in Lagos warning that failure to stop the carnage may provoke dire consequences in other parts of the country.

According to the statement, the violence that broke out in the North following the announcement of the results of the election had shattered the peaceful atmosphere that heralded the conduct of the election at the weekend.

“But post-electoral violence raging in certain parts of the country now forces another question: ‘Do Nigerians want to build a nation of equal citizens having equal rights, equal opportunities and equal access to the good things of life, including security of lives and property and the freedom to live anywhere?’

“The uproar, chaos and confusion manifesting in certain parts of the country, even while the presidential election results are still being collated, seem to confirm that certain Nigerians seeking political office deceitfully mouth interest in the unity, safety and security of the nation,” the OPC said.

The group warned that no ethnic group in the country had monopoly of violence while noting that some leaders were merely paying lip service to the unity and equality of citizenry but inwardly believed they were specially ordained to rule the country.

“Now we know from the avalanche of bad news we receive from areas of intolerance, insecurity and arrogance that some people think they were ordained to rule this country forever.

“How do we excuse the holocaust unleashed against non-indigenes and places of worship in Bauchi, Kaduna, Yola and some segments of the North? No ethnic nationality can claim absolute monopoly of violence. There is hardly any ethnic nationality group that cannot be found in any cosmopolitan area of Nigeria. So the violence must stop. OPC will not fold its arms and watch southerners being slaughtered by enemies of peace, progress, development and unity,” the statement warned.

The statement bemoaned the attempt to discredit through violence the wonderful performance of the widely acknowledged credible election under the able Prof. Attahiru Jega-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While reiterating its call for the convocation of Sovereign National Conference (SNC) as the only panacea to address the nation’s political problems, OPC warned that the country could not afford to go into another civil war.

obowunmi:

This has nothing to do with the Hausas --- the North is tired of PDP. Illiterates need to stop making this a tribal issue.

tpiah!:

that's a nice photo.

so the man fine like that?

i had no idea.

Obiagu1:

They are tired of PDP yet PDP won more seats

This is a firm statement and I salute Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, if the whole South retaliates in equal measure, this whole madness will cease. Imagine Dangote killed in retaliation, every Norther politician, top business man will be the ones fighting to stop such violence from ever happening again in the North.

edoyad:

Abeg , they shouldn't touch Dangote. He's got a functioning brain unlike most of his brothers.

edoyad:

Abeg , they shouldn't touch Dangote. He's got a functioning brain unlike most of his brothers.

obowunmi:

This has nothing to do with the Hausas --- the North is tired of PDP.  Illiterates need to stop making this a tribal issue.

ZnO:

What is OPC fretting about? I thought Swners are safe in the North? Why do SWners speak from both sides of their mouths, always?

jmaine:

retaliatory violence is not a good option . . .but in the face of constant provocation by a particular group . . . immeasurable and undefined retaliatory consequences would act as a reminder to them that violence begets even more brutal violence . . .we need peace and sanity among the hausas   . . .we need peaceful coexistence . . .

The group warned[b] that no ethnic group in the country had monopoly of violence[/b] while noting that some leaders were merely paying lip service to the unity and equality of citizenry but inwardly believed they were specially ordained to rule the country.

“Now we know from the avalanche of bad news we receive from areas of intolerance, insecurity and arrogance that some people think they were ordained to rule this country forever.

Obiagu1:

Day 1: Slaughtered     Response: retaliatory violence is not a good option
Day 2: Slaughtered     Response: retaliatory violence is not a good option
Day 3: Slaughtered     Response: retaliatory violence is not a good option
Day 4: Slaughtered     Response: retaliatory violence is not a good option

Who is the fool here and when is the killing ever going to stop? Kill me I kill you, our politicians are sick and dumb!  

While reiterating its call for the convocation of Sovereign National Conference (SNC) as the only panacea to address the nation’s political problems, OPC warned that the country could not afford to go into another civil war.

OmoAbi:

I'm very sure our forefathers will be very disappointed in us now.Desendants of warriors shaking at the threat of awusa/fulani idiots.
If we retaliate once,kill like 5000 awusa/fulani in the SW,they go wise-up.

OmoAbi:

I'm very sure our forefathers will be very disappointed in us now.Desendants of warriors shaking at the threat of awusa/fulani idiots.
If we retaliate once,kill like 5000 awusa/fulani in the SW,they go wise-up.

coldhearts:

I hope you are joking, blood for blood - is that what you want, it cannot appease the damage done. You seriously sound like the igbos on NL yesterday - calling for revenge. Do you really think it is worth it?.

We are not in the stone age when we fought wars and took prisoners, if there's a peaceful way to resolve issues, it must be used first and as many times as needed/recommended.  

The Northerners are not all bad people ok. If i were you, i'd be more weary of our leaders mortgaging out the future of Nigeria than a fellow powerless nigerian.

Musiwa,:

we should break up the country for peace sake and make buhari the president of the north.

aloy-emeka:

Sometimes desperate measures are needed in desperate times. Hausa/Fulani continues to massacre at least 3000 Southerners every year since the Obasanjo regime and you still think that appealing to them to stop will do the magic?. The Jos carnage is every 6 months and count back to the last one and you will see it happen in Jos again. As a matter of fact, they will massacre more now that Jonathan is in power.
They were only killing Igbos/Ijaws/South Southerners before and the unaffected Yorubas and middle beltans kept quiet, they slowly shifted to killing all the Southerners and as if that was not enough, they've started killing middle beltans too. Where and when will it stop.

The USA took war to the Arabs because they will not let them relax and enjoy the blessings of a prosperous country God gave them and will you call that barbaric?. Should the US continue to appeal to Arabians to stop throwing bombs at them in the name of peace or send back fire for fire?. Should Israel allow Palestinians to continue killing them so an not to be called barbaric?.

obowunmi:

This has nothing to do with the Hausas --- the North is tired of PDP.  Illiterates need to stop making this a tribal issue.