The planned sit-at-home ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) scheduled to have commenced tomorrow (Monday) has been suspended due to the just began National Examination Council (NECO) Exam for junior secondary schools.
A new date for the commencement of the sit-at-home order, IPOB said would be announced later.
The pro Biafra group had penultimate week, in what appeared to be in solidarity with it’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, ordered for sit-at-home that would be observed every Monday throughout Igbo land, starting from August 9, until when his trial would end.
However, in a statement the IPOB leader’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu said the group arrived at the decision, after listening to pleas from well meaning individuals and groups within and outside Biafra land that the order be suspended to allow students from Igbo land to participate in the NECO Exam.
“IPOB has listened to pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups within and outside Biafra land that we consider the fate of our children who will be involved in the NECO Exam and based on that, we decided to shift grounds over the sit-at-home order”.
The statement added that IPOB on its part, having realized the academic deprivation the already marginalized Biafra students who entered for this year’s NECO would suffer, decided to suspend the sit-at-home order to a later date, to allow the students take their exams.
Kanu equally made it clear that allowing the sit-at-home to go ahead as earlier announced, in the face of the NECO Exam would amount to assisting enemies of Biafra to inflict more injuries on her children.
“As a group fighting for the liberation of her people from oppression from her enemies, we realized that it would amount to assisting the said enemies to inflict more harm on our children if we do not suspend the sit-at-home order to allow Biafra students take their exams”.
While making it clear the sit-at-home order has not been cancelled, but only suspended for the sake of Biafra students taking this year’s NECO Exam, the statement called on all IPOB global family members and Biafrans at large to await further directives in this regard.
A new dimension for the people of Biafra has emerged in regard to their agitaton for self determination.
According to reports, a Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked in a suit instituted by elders and politicians in Kano state, to compel Nigeria’ s Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and other leaders to hasten the exit of the southeast otherwise known as Biafra, before they conclude the on- going amendment of the country’ s constitution.
DailyPost detailed the court document marked as: FHC/ABJ/CS/538/2021, which was instituted by Nastura Ashir Shariff, Balarabe Rufa’ I, Aminu Adam, and Abdul- Aziz Sulaiman, who are all elders and politicians from Kano State.
According to their suit, they claimed that their action is in a bid to stem the flames of violence and destruction allegedly occasioned by Nnamdi Kanu’ s- led Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, who have continued to agitate for secession unrelentingly.
The Kano elders and politicians also claimed that they do not want a repeat of the 1967 to 1970 civil war in Nigeria which was staged as a result of the same Biafra agitation.
They recalled that the Biafra war cost Nigeria many innocent lives and properties worth billions of naira.
Further reports says the suit listed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly as defendants.
Details Of The Requests Noted In The Suit By The Kano Elders And Politicians Read:
” A declaration that, by the combined effect of the provisions of Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and Articles 1, 2, and 20(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004, the 4th defendant (the National Assembly) is empowered to set in motion a framework for a referendum to allow the South- eastern region of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to decide on their bid for self- determination. “
” A declaration that in view of the provisions of Articles 1, 2, 4, 14 and 20(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004, the 2nd and 3rd defendants (the Senate President and House of Reps Speaker) have the power to call for a joint session of both Chambers of the 4th defendant to deliberate on the agitation for self- determination by the Southeastern states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “
” An order directing the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants to provide a framework that will pave the way for the self- determination of the South- eastern states so as to leave the geographical entity called Nigeria before any further step is taken to further amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “
One of the elders who championed the suit, Nastura Ashir Shariff, noted that IPOB founded by Nnamdi Kanu, has been agitating for self- determination for decades and that it was time to consider his vision.
Nastura Ashir Shariff Said:
” The agitations of the IPOB have been going on for about a decade, despite their proscription by the Federal Government of Nigeria about three years ago.
” Even before the emergence of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), there was a group at the south- eastern part of Nigeria known as the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) under the leadership of one, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.
” The main objective of the group mentioned in the immediately preceding paragraph is also the creation of the Independent State of Biafra, away from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
” Long before the emergence of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), there was a move by the people of the south- eastern part of Nigeria formerly Eastern Region led by the late Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
” The secession attempt by the people of the then Eastern Region under the leadership of the late Col. Ojukwu was directly responsible for the first Nigerian civil war between 1967 and 1970.
” The said civil war had claimed many innocent lives from both sides of the divide as well as destruction of properties worth billions of Nara which was detrimental to the growth and development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
” The lessons of the civil war have faded in the minds of many Nigerians and a repeat of the carnage of the civil war is not necessary, going forward.
” The IPOB’ s agitation for self- determination has turned violent against both the people of the south- east who are against their agitations and other Nigerians carrying out their lawful businesses within the south- eastern states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
” The IPOB through its militant arm— Eastern Security Network (ESN)— is responsible for the killings, expulsions and destruction of properties of other Nigerians not belonging to the Igbo tribe.
” Resolving, with finality, the existential question of self- determination of any part of Nigeria is now more urgent, imperative and prevails over and above the issue of amending the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
” The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can be further amended at any time after the question of self- determination must have been resolved by Nigerians. ”
Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho has reportedly assigned the case to Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo which has been scheduled for hearing on November 1, 2021.
The Biafra Agitation
The Biafra agitation is one that occasioned the Nigerian/Biafran Civil war: a war that lasted from 6 July 1967, to 15 January 1970.
The agitation demanded that a group of states in the southeastern part of Nigeria, made up of mainly people of the Igbo ethnic group, to break away and form an independent Biafran nation.
Decades after the Biafran war, Nnamdi Kanu, an activist and secessionist, became the latest in a line of Biafran activists to take up the cause to divide Nigeria.
To this end, Nnamdi Kanu founded the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) in 2014.
Nnamdi Kanu caught the attention of Nigeria’ s security services after he made a frightening statement soon after setting up IPOB.
While speaking to gatherings of the large Igbo diaspora, calling for Biafran independence, Nnamdi Kanu urged Biafrans to take up arms against the Nigerian state.
According to CNN, Nnamdi Kanu said, ” We need guns and we need bullets. ”
In the wake of tension caused by Nnamdi Kanu, the federal government of Nigeria proscribed IPOB in the country, arrested Nnamdi Kanu, and charged him for treason.
Nnamdi Kanu’ s Guts And Activities
Regardless of IPOB’ s proscribtion, in December 2020, Nnamdi Kanu established the Eastern Security Network (ESN) after he was freed on bail owing to health conditions.
According to him, the ESN is a paramilitary organization of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, aimed at keeping the region safe from alleged terrorist attacks.
Amidst the presence of the Nigerian security operatives and the Nigerian military in the southeastern region, Nnamdi Kanu claimed that the southeastern part of Nigeria is better off without them.
To this end, there have been reported clashes between Nigerian security operatives and Nnamdi Kanu’ s ESN personnel.
According to the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, IPOB members and Nnamdi Kanu’ s ESN, are responsible for the incessant attacks in the southeastern Nigeria.
Attacks on police stations, government offices, and public institutions, have reportedly increased unreasonably in the southeastern region.
President Muhammadu Buhari Reacted
Reports of attacks on government institutions allegedly by IPOB members provoked a controversial statement by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, who warned that he will treat perpetrators of the attacks in the southeast in the ” language they will understand. ”
Nnamdi Kanu’ s followers and others reacted by interpreting President Buhari’ s statement to mean a threat to kill IPOB members fighting for freedom, just like it happened during the Nigerian/Biafran Civil War.
President Buhari’ s statement reads:
” Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Biafra war, ” he wrote. ” Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand. ”
On 1st May 2021, one of the top commanders of Nnamdi Kanu’ s ESN was killed by the Nigerian military.
Few months later, several members of IPOB and commanders of ESN were either arrested or killed by Nigerian security operatives, which in turn increased the death rate of people who have lost their lives for Biafra since the inception of the movement.
Most worrisome, those arrested confessed to their deeds and pointed accusing fingers on their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Amidst the deaths, tension and uncertainty, Nnamdi Kanu refused to give up on the Biafra cause.
In the wake of these violence, Nnamdi Kanu was re- arrested and extradited back to Nigeria to continue with his trial bordering on treasonable felony.
Prior to now, he was declared wanted by Nigerian government for skipping bail and also for allegedly inciting violence and insurrection during this period.
According to the Attorney General of Federation, Abubakar, Malami, Nnamdi Kanu was re- arrested through the joint efforts of the intelligence and security services.
The Attorney General said: ” Self- acclaimed leader of the proscribed secessionist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Kanu, has been intercepted through the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and Security Services. ”
Biafra’ s Hope
Amidst Nnamdi Kanu’ s re- arrest and trial, it appeared that the Biafra cause was going into extinction, not until the decision by the Kano elders and politicians who have decided to file a suit against Nigerian leaders hoping to help achieve Biafra’ s exit.
It is also noteworthy that Nnamdi Kanu who is currently facing trial will appear in court in October after his case was adjourned in July owing to logistics reasons that made him unable to appear in court.
To this end, many have hoped that Biafra may finally leave Nigeria if the suit filed by the Kano elders and politicians is heard on November 1st, 2021 as scheduled.
Yes, that’s right: In the purest interpretations of foreign relations law, as applied to Britain and Kenya, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is technically speaking, still in Kenya. How? Dual national or not, Kanu departed Britain and travelled to Kenya as a British citizen and Kenya admitted him as such. That’s the starting point.
So, after his admission to Kenya, it happens that Kanu must be expelled from Kenyan soil (with or without due process), the next natural and legal thing to do is for Kenya to expel him to Britain, not Nigeria. Choosing to expel him to Nigeria means that he could’ve also been expelled to any other country than Nigeria.
Why? Because Kanu presented himself to Kenya as a British citizen, not a Nigerian citizen or even a dual citizen. In international law, it was clearly a three-way immigration contract between Kanu, Britain and Kenya. Nigeria was not a party to it; and Nigeria was never in reckoning at the Kenyan port of entry when Kanu presented himself for admission. Lawyers call it privity of contract.
Further, counting from the time of Kanu’s abduction to the infamous rendition, Kenya sighted no other travel document that could’ve, in addition to Britain, attributed another nationality to Kanu, including that of Nigeria. Or, was Kanu admitted to Kenya on a Nigerian birth certificate?
So, it’s dubious that Kenya attributed Nigerian citizenship to Kanu merely because those that sponsored the abduction and rendition presumably told Kenya that Kanu was borne in Nigeria. What about the credible claims (in public domain) that Kanu had renounced his Nigerian citizenship? If place of birth should count, then renunciation should count for more.
Put another way, unless Kenya was shown Kanu’s Nigerian birth certificate, it is expected to presume Kanu as a British citizen only. After all, beyond a birth certificate, a passport is the next best proof of citizenship. Verbal assertions of place of birth is, as a matter of immigration and nationality law, an insufficient proof of citizenship.
Nonetheless, if Kenya was in any doubt as to where Kanu should be expelled, it should have resorted to the competent international laws on point.
The most obvious of such laws is codified at Article 5 of the Hague Convention on Certain Questions Relating to the Conflict of Nationality Law, which states that: “Within a third State, a person having more than one nationality shall be treated as if he had only one. A third State shall, of the nationalities which any such person possesses, recognise exclusively in its territory either the nationality of the country in which he is habitually and principally resident, or the nationality of the country with which in the circumstances he appears to be in fact most closely connected”.
As can be seen from above, Kanu was required to meet one of two conditions in order to be treated by Kenya ‘exclusively’ as either a citizen of Nigeria or Britain.
So, let’s put Kanu into what the Hague Convention says and see how he comes out.
Fact: Kanu is 53 years old. Out of this, he has spent some 30 years in Britain and 23 years in Nigeria. His wife and children are domiciled in Britain and they are British citizens, either by birth or naturalization. Kanu has his home in Britain and pays his taxes there.
Another fact: Kanu’s main occupations – Radio Biafra and IPOB – are corporate citizens of Britain in good standing, both having been duly registered in Britain. And Kanu runs both of them from British soil.
So, you can easily see from above that Britain is where Kanu is ‘habitually and principally resident, as well as the country with which, in the circumstances, he appears to be in fact most closely connected’.
Thus, Kenya (being the third country) should have treated Kanu exclusively as a British citizen because, even as the Hague Convention required Kanu to meet one of two conditions, he actually over-qualified by meeting both conditions.
Therefore, as a strict matter of foreign relations law, as applied to Britain and Kenya (minus Nigeria), Kanu is technically still in Kenya. Why? Because Kenya was the last country in which Kanu – a bonafide British citizen was lawfully admitted.
In other words, subsequent to his admission to Kenya, if Kanu desired to depart Kenya, the only country he could have legally departed to was Britain, not Nigeria. Why? Kenyan immigration would not have allowed Kanu to depart to Nigeria without him presenting either a Nigerian passport or a Nigerian visa.
In view of the foregoing, the next best steps for Britain to take, going forward, is to ask Kenya to account for the whereabouts of her citizen, Nnamdi Kanu, last seen in Kenya as of June 19th, 2021 as her Majesty’s subject and a free citizen of Britain, not a criminal suspect.
Once Britain sits up, Kenya – whether complicit or not – would begin to realize the true legal and diplomatic implications of failing to protect a bonafide British citizen who made his last lawful immigration stop on Kenyan soil. And Nigeria will also begin to realize that Kanu’s presence in Nigeria is unlawful and unsustainable.
Ohanaeze to Ndigbo: Go about your businesses •IPOB threat amounts to self economic destruction, says MASSOB •Police: It won’t happen
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) appears to be facing an uphill task to enforce the sit-at-home protest across the Southeast to back up its demand for the unconditional release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The separatist group says the sit-at-home protest will take place every Monday beginning from August 9, 2021 until Kanu is released.
But the Igbo apex socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and other stakeholders, yesterday advised South easterners to ignore the sit-at-home order while the police declared that no such protest would be allowed.
Kanu himself plans to institute a judicial process to compel the British government to provide him consular assistance through its High Commision in Abuja.
The IPOB leader who holds a British passport is currently facing treason related charges in Abuja.
The Chidi Ibeh-led faction of Ohanaeze warned that the sit-at-home order is capable of jeopardizing efforts by prominent people in the region to secure the release of Kanu.
Secretary General of the group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement said: “The sit-at-home declaration aimed at pressurizing the Nigerian authorities to release Nnamdi Kanu will destroy the backstage activities and efforts of Igbo leaders and politicians to use diplomatic means to get him released.
There’s hunger and hardship in Southeastern Nigeria. Past sit-at-home orders led to massive economic losses, destruction of properties, and hike in prices of food and essential materials across Southeastern Nigeria, and Igbos painstakingly endured untold hardship. This must not continue.
“Igbos should ignore the sit-at-home order and go about their normal businesses on Monday. IPOB should review their stance and unveil more strategic plan with Southern Nigerian governors and legislators to press for Nnamdi Kanu’s release without hurting or subjecting the people to sorrow, affliction and despair.”
Elder statesman and Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Mike Ahamba said the sit-at-home protest does not make sense as it will only compound the sufferings of the people.
I don’t know why they want to be asking people they want to lead to stay at home. When you say people should not come out on Monday who is going to feed them within that time. I think they should forget this directive and embrace peace,” he said in Owerri.
Another lawyer Eugene Durueke said the order would only add to the woes in the land.
He said: “What the IPOB wants to engage in is a form of civil disobedience, which they don’t have the mechanism to enforce.
“So it will be a case of cutting your nose and spatting your face. The compliance will be felt more if our brothers and Easterners in Alaba market (Lagos) and far North who are into building materials and pharmacy stores join the sit at home. So the order may not enjoy total compliance.”
Protest won’t serve development interest of our citizens, says Abia govt
The Abia State Government advised resident of the state to “continue to be law abiding and avoid any act that might lead to a break down of law and order.”
Information Commissioner John Okiyi-Kalu in a statement yesterday in Umuahia said while government would not compel anyone wishing to sit at home for any reason whatsoever not to do so, as citizens have freedom of movement under the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, “we wish to strongly advise that nobody should also compel or enforce any sit at home order from any non- state actor as doing so does not serve any known interests of the people of the state.”
He added: “Compelling our children to stay away from school can only serve the interests of the yet to be properly identified persons who may not want to see us make progress as a people.
“Similarly, our traders sitting at home at a time they need to work very hard to sustain their families and create wealth especially in this era of COVID-19 impacted global economy will obviously not serve any development interest of our hardworking citizens.
“All law abiding citizens and visitors are therefore called upon to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation as adequate security has been provided to ensure their safety.
“Parents and guardians are also called upon to ensure that they monitor the activities of their children and wards with a view to ensuring that they do not engage in unlawful activities that will put them in harm’s way.”
The Abia State Government said it would ensure respect for the fundamental human rights of Nnamdi Kanu during his ongoing trial.
It said it was “monitoring the situation” with Kanu who is an indigene of the state.
In a separate statement, the Abia State Police Commissioner, CP Janet Agbede said intelligence “revealed that hoodlums have planned to unleash harm on peace loving and dutiful people of the state”, using the protest as cover.
She said the IPOB intended to use the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to “force compliance” with the sit-at-home order,pointing out that “we’re aware that majority of the citizens depend on daily income for their survival.
“The sit-at-home will negatively impact on the economy of the state and individual pocket.
“These intended actions against those that are not willing to sit at-home constitute acts likely to cause breach of the peace and also infringe on their fundamental human rights.
“Consequent upon the above, the Commissioner of Police in conjunction with other security agencies, hereby re-assure Abians and those within the state that their security and fundamental human rights are their top priority.”
She advised parents and guardians to warn their children and wards against participating in any act (including social media) capable of stirring action likely to cause breach of the peace.
Aba-based lawyer, Barr. Emperor Ogbonna, said the sit-at-home will not only cripple the economy of Aba, but the state at large.
Monday is the most important day of everyone in Aba as that is the day the entire West Africa comes to Aba to buy things.
“This money brought into Aba every Monday circulates to doctors, banks, lawyers, house owners, businessmen and women, etc all over Abia state.
“Shutting down Aba every Monday until Nnamdi Kanu is released by the federal government will cause exceptional hardship in our land.
“I have lived in Abuja and I know that Abuja is not in any way bothered by what happens here.
“We are the ones that would adversely be affected by that sit at home order by IPOB.
“I am neither in support of the IPOB nor against them, but if the sit-at-home is absolutely necessary, then every Monday will be destructive to the economy of Abia state.”
It won’t happen, say Anambra govt, Police, coalition groups
The Anambra State Government and the State Police Command are also optimistic that there will be no sit-at-home protest in the state.
Information and Enlightenment Commisioner, Don Adinuba, said yesterday that security agencies were ready to ensure peace.
Spokesperson of the police command, Ikenga Tochukwu, said there was no cause for alarm.
He said the police and sister agencies would make sure that people go about their duties without any fear of attack.
He said it was the duty of security agencies to protect the lives and property of the citizens, adding that the command would deploy troops in making sure the peace in the state would not be breached.
The South East Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (SECSOs) said the sit-at-home protest would only end up stifling businesses in the Southeast.
The group described the planned protest as the last thing the Igbo wanted, especially at this point in time.
The group, in a statement said: “If pupils and students and their teachers go to school only four days in a week whereas other parts of Nigeria study for five days, the quality of learning in the zone will collapse dramatically.
“If our detractors have not been able to slow down our fantastic educational advancement in the last couple of years, why should an Igbo group spearhead a campaign which will make us lose our cherished competitive edge in education?
“All law abiding citizens and visitors are therefore called upon to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation as adequate security has been provided to ensure their safety.
“Parents and guardians are also called upon to ensure that they monitor the activities of their children and wards with a view to ensuring that they do not engage in unlawful activities that will put them in harm’s way.”
The Abia State Government said it would ensure respect for the fundamental human rights of Nnamdi Kanu during his ongoing trial.
It said it was “monitoring the situation” with Kanu who is an indigene of the state.
In a separate statement, the Abia State Police Commissioner, CP Janet Agbede said intelligence “revealed that hoodlums have planned to unleash harm on peace loving and dutiful people of the state”, using the protest as cover.
She said the IPOB intended to use the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to “force compliance” with the sit-at-home order, pointing out that “we’re aware that majority of the citizens depend on daily income for their survival.
Aba-based lawyer, Barr. Emperor Ogbonna, said the sit-at-home will not only cripple the economy of Aba, but the state at large.
“Monday is the most important day of everyone in Aba as that is the day the entire West Africa comes to Aba to buy things.
“This money brought into Aba every Monday circulates to doctors, banks, lawyers, house owners, businessmen and women, etc all over Abia state.
“Shutting down Aba every Monday until Nnamdi Kanu is released by the federal government will cause exceptional hardship in our land.
“I have lived in Abuja and I know that Abuja is not in any way bothered by what happens here.”
The Ebonyi State Police Command yesterday vowed that the IPOB protest would not not take place in the state.
The police said any attempt by IPOB to enforce the order in the state would be met with fierce resistance, stressing that nobody has the right to infringe on another’s fundamental human rights.
The state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba said, “We will resist such a move by IPOB. This is one threat too many. It can’t work here. We will make sure it doesn’t hold.
“We have put serious and adequate security measures in place to ensure that this can’t happen. People should go about their lawful business from that day because nobody has the right to infringe on another’s rights.”
There is tension in Enugu State ahead of the planned protest with armed police patrolling the streets of the state capital in a show of force to warn potential trouble makers to desist.
About eight police patrol vehicles loaded with operatives were seen patrolling major streets and roads especially Obiagu, Kenyatta, Holy Ghost, Coal Camp, Gariki, amongst others yesterday.
A leader in one of the markets in Enugu, who does not want his name in print, said: “We are going to open our markets and traders should open their shops for business. There is no way the IPOB will force us to close our businesses.
“Though, we’re not happy with how Kanu is being handled by the federal government, this lockdown is not the best way to go about it because we will end up inflicting more pains on ourselves.”
Residents of Ainabe Close/Felix Elema Street, off Upper Adesuwa Road, GRA Benin City are now an endangered people.
Heavy flooding have completely taken over the whole area in the wake of the peak of the rains, following a faulty drainage project carried out by Hartland Construction Company, in a World Bank project, under the NEWMAP project.
A visit to the area in Benin revealed an area completely submerged under rain, and residents having to wade through the flooding in order to reach their homes or come out.
A resident of the area, Dr Mrs Ojeme, who made a video during a small rainfall, Hartland Construction Company had channeled all the drainages around the area into their streets, and all the water that collects turn the area into a giant pond.
She said the project has greatly endangered the residents “This is our experience in this area. They brought their drainage from far away, to channel water coming from many streets to us. This is a small rain, rain that fell for two hours, but very light rail, and yet, we are swallowed up everywhere. We are swallowed up with water.
“With their drainage system not even covered, and that puts residents in this area more at risk, because any person can fall into their drainage with this flood that has covered everywhere.
“This is what NEWMAP has directed Hartland to do to us. They have left us worse than we were before. It would have been better they never made any attempt to come to this neighborhood. This is what we are experiencing – threat to property, threat to life, opening up a drainage system against residents and channeling water from far away into our homes.
She explained that although the area is prone to flood, the construction work has aggravated the challenge:
They have left us worse than we were before now. They fixed drainage systems to channel water from the adjoining streets – Akhionbare, Oni, Jemide, Giwa Amu to Ainabe, closed a permanent pond to receive the channeled water, turning the whole area into an ocean.
“Ainabe is the most hit because it’s the lowest level as well a close.
“They put a temporary pond beside my fence and the stagnant water has been sipping down, weakening the foundation of my house. This had been on since 4th June, 2021, and the foundation of my house has been compromised with the flood making it risky for my family and I to continue to live there “.
In June 2020, some residents had carried out a protest against NEWMAP and Hartland. Having seen the unprofessional work they were doing, the residents had envisaged that the project would endanger their lives and gone for the protest. They had also protested NEWMAP’s refusal to pay them an agreed compensation from World Bank in order to carry out the project.
They chanted ‘No more work, enough is enough. Dr Tom Obaseki should come out and tell us what is happening. We need our money. We needs our money. Stop the deceit’.
A resident who spoke at the protest told newsmen “This place, they begged us to allow them to work, and we allowed them, for two years. They came and destroyed everywhere, and keep telling us they are going to pay. The man took money and collected a huge interest, to the detriment of the citizens. So we are here today with the Enogies, with the people and we are saying that the work will not continue. If they want to continue the work, then let them try us today.
Another resident, Pastor Osaze Omoruyi said “This protest has no political undertone. The rains are here again. It is very important for the world to hear this, that for the past three years, we have attended a series of meetings, to the extent that some persons who started these meetings with us are dead. I can name three persons that are dead and no more with us today. Dr Tom Obaseki came to meet us the last time, promising heaven and earth. But it is also important to let the world know that we know how Workd Bank operates. World Bank will not tear down people’s property without first paying. World Bank will not take over people’s lands without first paying. So we wnat answers from Dr Tom Obaseki. We no longer know what is happening, we no longer know what is going on.
That is why we have come out today en masse to ask Dr Tom Obaseki, the project coordinator of NEWMAP what is really going on, and to pay the persons and communities that are affected. Lands have been taken, and peoples properties have been demolished.
We are not in a banana republic, it is very important for us to also state that we are not here representing any political interests. So we wnat answers, we want accountability, we way transparency.
We have been on this issue long enough. We have begged, we have pleaded, we have explored every reasonable avenue, to demand for what us rightfully ours. In October 2019, he came and said please we should allow him to work. Beginning from Pond 6, they began to destroy properties, go to Pond 5 and 6, they have destroyed so much properties. They are now in Pond 4, moving to other ponds. In one particular instance, one of the property owners that resisted was reported to Government House.
A resident, who spoke to our news men from Canada, Chief Patrick Eholor called on Governor Godwin Obaseki to pay some attention on the problem the residents are facing.
“We should leave politics aside as government should she sympathy and empathy. The Governor should visit the people and see the reality on ground. There is hunger, there is sickness, there is distress. What the residents are passing through is causing all kinds of diseases that we can prevent.
“Those who are watching today are in comfort, but it can also happen to them tomorrow. I am in Canada, it does not affect me, but they are my people. Politics time is over, let government work for the people.
“The Governor should show his human side. He is too stiff. He is nonchalant, there are children and women who live in that area.”
Some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC on Thursday converged in Abuja to proffer solutions to the existential threats facing the country, kicking against secession and declaring their support for a united and indivisible Nigeria where equal rights and justice are cardinal principles of state policy.
They spoke at a forum organized by the APC Press Corps had as its theme, “Sustaining United and Indivisible Nigeria: A myth or Reality”.
Speakers at the event were the Chairman of the occasion and former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani who represented the National Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state; lead presenter, Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, former Imo State Governor and Senator representing Imo West, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Jibrin Barau; Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Paulen Tallen; Minister of State in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu; and, Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu as well as the Chairman, FCT Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ, Comrade Emma Ogbeche.
At the event which was moderated by ace broadcaster, Eugenia Abu, Sen. Nnamani also clarified that Gov. Buni is only chairing a caretaker committee and that he is not a party chairman.
“Governor Mai Mala Buni is not the chairman of APC as a party. He is the chairman of the caretaker committee. It is good to make this clarification arising from the recent Supreme Court judgment”, Nnamani stated.
On the issue of national unity, he said; “I will like to point out that respect and love are earned. You don’t tell someone to love you. Or respect me. Even our children, you don’t tell your child please love or respect me. You have to earn it.
“According to the lecture, all of us are involved in our country in making it more attractive so that people can aspire to say I belong to Nigeria. I am a Nigerian citizen. I am not too sure that the issue of citizenship whether it is dual or triplicate or any number of countries you can try to belong to does not tell how much you love or hate your country.
I think our country, Nigeria deserves individual responsibility to make it attractive enough for people to aspire to call themselves Nigerians. It takes a lesson and that is why history is very nice. It teaches us from the past lessons that can help to shape the future. What you can call civics is what is going on now in Japan.
“I have a simple definition of restructuring and that is making something more efficient than you met it. If we must tell ourselves the truth, the structure of our government is neither efficient nor effective. We should make our government more efficient and more effective.
“Efficiency and I will give one example. Why should the federal government be concern about issuing driver’s licenses? I spent quite some time in the United States. When I was in Iowa, I had Iowa, driving license. When I moved to Washington, I had a Washington driver’s license. When I went to New York, I had a New York driver’s license. Why should we spend time here in Abuja issuing somebody a license in Sokoto?
Some things can be done more efficiently and that also implies restructuring. Restructuring does mean dividing our country. Because the more united we are the better we are as a country. So any reasonable person who witnessed the Biafran war with Nigeria will never preach anything near war. You won’t wish your enemy to go through that. So for those who were not born then, who takes delight in pronouncing war, it is not African Magic, that you stay back and watch. It is a thing you may not come back from. And those shouting war, under three weeks of the battle they are gone. So nobody will wish our country another war”.
“And people who are agitating for a separate nation, I think that if Nigeria is made more efficient nobody in his right senses will be saying it should be divided. Every state in Nigeria has something unique that few countries are as pleased as Nigeria. It is for us to discover our own strength and emphasize it and make it better.
Let us not be afraid of restructuring. It simply means how can we make our country more efficient and better”.
No to civil war
In his presentation, Kano state Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje decried the growing wave of secessionist agitations in the country, declaring that Nigeria cannot afford another civil war.
Ganduje who was a keynote speaker at the second quarterly lecture of the All Progressives Congress APC Press Corps which held Thursday in Abuja noted that the 1999 Constitution does not support secession.
While he instead advocated the need for restructuring, Dr Ganduje said dividing Nigeria will only create weak republics.
According to him, it is part of democracy that people should air their views, but not translate grievances into violence and bloodshed.
Ganduje said while the unity of Nigeria should be discussed, secessionist agitators must be strongly cautioned to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters without perpetrating acts that could be interpreted as an attempt to enthrone instability and dismember the country.
“Those in the streets of South West or South Eastern states, carrying dangerous weapons, attacking security personnel and formations as well as innocent citizens, whose only political education comes from misguided and narrow role models, should be cautious not to become cannon fodders for mischief-making. Nigeria is bigger than all of us and there is no challenge that is bigger than the political class to solve.
“The leadership of the groups in the two geo-political regions spearheading the bid for secession from Nigeria, have gone too far. They incite followers to acts of violence against Nigerian security forces and has established a paramilitary wing. No serious government will stand by and watch this scenario and go to bed. While the matter is before a competent court of law, I think these people should understand how far they can go.
It is on record that the great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria, was an Igbo man and also a perfect negotiator and foremost champion of Nigeria’s unity. The same for the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He never agitated for secession. He was loud and clear on restructuring of the federation. And that demand is even louder and the debate is on and no one is troubling agitators for agitating for restructuring of the federation. What is more, the governing party, the APC has a working document already on this (restructuring). This is the way we should all go. There should be no secession distraction at this time.
“Therefore, at this point in the country’s history, all right thinking citizens, irrespective of their tribal and religious inclinations should bond together to sustain the corporate existence of the most populous and naturally endowed nation in Africa. We must shun temptations and anger capable of leading us into more turbulent time that cannot be controlled as we have in some North African and Middle Eastern countries.
Let me repeat here that Nigeria is a united and indivisible country. Our constitution has taken care of that. I don’t see secession as the way out of the current challenges afflicting the nation. Instead, advocates of secession should have a change of heart and I recommend dialogue as a crucial option for addressing their problems.
“We are too fused, in fact too entropic together to be divided at this time. Let’s repair our broken walls instead and move on! Let’s debate restructuring, not secession or self-determination. It is too late in the day. Let the labour of our heroes past not be in vain! Let’s hail, not hate Nigeria at this time”, Ganduje added.
Also speaking Okorocha noted that Nigeria was going through a difficult time and advised leaders to prioritize the issue of justice.
He said; “Our almagmation without the people coming together to discuss and how they can respect each other have been a major issue and secondly, we were not able to create a myth. So we need more of a myth than what we call reality.
“We need to create a myth that can make us feel together as one indivisible people. but not that this myth is not created and political parties tend to divide us.
“What we must do as a people is to address the issue of injustice as a nation, starting from the stomach injustice which we call hunger. For instance, I don’t have any enemy from the North or South West. The biggest political problem I have recently is from the South East, from my State.
“Number two, every leader that emerges in this country must treat Nigeria as a family, must never show segregation of any kind. If you know an Igboman, an Igboman is not asking for anything, he is asking for a level playing ground. Do you know if today people are doing what Ganduje did in Kano, giving Igbo people appointments, if every other Governor does that, shows a sign of love beyond area of tribe and religion, he will be uniting this country?”
Okechukwu on his part dispelled insinuations that Nigeria, as opposed to other countries, is an artificial creation, stating that as a student of history, there is no country in the world that does not have elements of artificial creation.
“So Nigeria for me will remain indivisible and indissoluble. Under the Abacha constitutional conference in the ’90s, my people in the East came up with proposal for geopolitical zones. It was accepted but not in the constitution and since then the issue of regions failed under successive Administrations.
“Why did it fail? It did because many states did not see why they should give up their states and collapse into a region. We did not want to go back to Egypt.
“If you did not achieve a simple thing of having regions, is it breaking out that will solve it. I tell my brothers in IPOB that I do not blame them, that it is their environment that shapes them. If you go round the country and see how the Igbos are thriving, breaking away will not be in our interest and it does not have the support of the generality of the people”, he stated.
Mallam Baba Bala Mohammed who represented Dame Tallen said Nigeria will remain indivisible and united, but that women have a great role to play not just in government but even in the party machinery.
“Let us ensure that not only 35 percent affirmative action is roughly to fruition, but that we should give opportunities to our youths to participate effectively in politics and governance.l”, the minister stated.
Minister of State in the FCT who was represented by Engr. Adaji Usman said leaders must begin to lead with the fear of God.
“With regards to the issue being discussed today, the problem with us as a country is first and foremost, the problem of leadership. We have leadership being given to us by those who were elected into offices of responsibility, but do not return back to the followers as those who have brought them on board,” she stated.
Senator Jibrin on his part also expressed belief in he indissolubility of the country.
“Let me quickly say that I believe in the sustainability of the unity and indivisibility of this country, is in reality. I believe that this country’s, okay and what we need to do at all times is to engage in dialogue. People who want things to be done should go through the constitutional means”.
Earlier, Chairman of the APC Press Corps, Mr Jide Orintunsin said the public lecture series was aimed at providing workable template options for effective good governance and serve as a medium for the deepening of democratic norms and institutions by engaging key players in politics, public administration, academia and economy.
I was in the appellate court in Kano on Thursday, August 5, 2021 and witnessed firsthand all that transpired. It was an interesting and enriching experience.
You could then imagine how surprised I had been reading different accounts of what really happened in Kano. Most of the accounts were jaundiced, tendentious and deliberately designed to deceive.
The court session commenced at the appointed time and both counsels were asked to address the court and make their final submissions.
The Lead Counsel for APGA and Victor Oye, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, with other lawyers put up a brilliant performance as usual. Wole Olanipekun dealt squarely with the issue of whether the extant case was a pre-election matter or not citing a plethora of cases to support his position. He asked a rhetorical question: “Can a matter become a pre-election matter at the Court of Appeal that was not a pre-election matter and filed within 14 days at the lower court? To which the answer is a capital ‘No”.
From information deposed at the court, the case at the lower Court was filed in 2021 with regards to an alleged convention of APGA held in 2019. So assuming it is even pre-election, it means that the case at the lower court was defective from the word go and filed out of time.
Wole Olanipekun cited several cases in which the Supreme Court ruled that such cases should not be deemed as a pre-election matter or that such illegal actions should not be validated under the cloak of a limitation statute. Other arguments were made to deal with the issue exhaustively.
He cited several cases in which the Supreme Court ruled that cases arising from leadership tussle of a political party should not be deemed as a pre-election matter.
The major plank of the case at the Appeal Court, Kano is to determine whether the High Court, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State acted within jurisdiction in entering judgment in favour of one Jude Okeke.
From evidence before the court, the Jude Okeke group is a bunch of impostors, colluding with one another to mislead the court and miscarry justice.
Jude Okeke and his co-travellers went to Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State to file a suit in a matter that took place in Awka, claiming to have removed one Edozie Njoku and replaced him as acting National Chairman without joining the legal and legitimate national Chairmam of APGA, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye.
To show how myopic and mischievous Jude Okeke and his motley sponsors were, they did not file a single document showing legitimate claim to the seat of national chairman of the party.
The truth of the matter is that the Birnin Kudu High Court did not have territorial jurisdiction to hear the suit in the first place.
And the Supreme Court of Nigeria has already frowned at this in its judgments on similar matters.
Again, the so-called Jude Okeke and his co-meddlesome interlopers did not file any APGA Constitution produced by Edozie Njoku whom they claimed they sacked to bring in Jude Okeke.
The APGA Constitution they used in filing their suits was the one approved by the National Convention conducted by the Oye-led APGA on May 31, 2019 in Awka. In fact, it was Oye as National Chairman of APGA and Labaran Maku as National Secretary that signed the APGA Constitution 2019 into law abd submitted to INEC on June 17, 2019.
From available facts their file contained no genuine documents, showing any legitimate claim to the leadership of the party.
What is before the Court of Appeal Kano is a case of desperate collusion between Jude Okeke, Garba Aliyu and their sponsors and co-conspirators.
Aware of the futility of their case, all their counsel concentrated on in court was technicalities, which the Supreme Court has always frowned at.
In its judgment in the suit between Comrade Alioke Vs Victor Oye on July 13, 2018 the Supreme Court described the effort by the Appellants’ counsel to mislead the court by raising many technical issues for determination thus:
_”…we are not technicians in the workshop of technicalities.”_
By so doing it dismissed Alioke’s appeal and upheld the judgment of the Court below in which Oye’s position as National Chairman of APGA was reaffirmed.
The lead judgment was read by Justice Mohammed Bage, now the Emir of Lafia.
What therefore some persons are circulating from the opposing camp is speculative, misleading and not a true representation of what transpired at the Court of Appeal, Kano on Thursday.
Because the Jude Okeke team are aware that their suit is standing on nothing they have resorted to spreading fake news and making incinerating insinuations to give some hope to their supporters who have been struck by the reality of impending defeat.
Let us tell ourselves the truth: on what basis did the opposing camp file an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Kano?
What documents do they have to buttress their bogus claims?
They have no constitution. They are relying on the same constitution produced by the Oye-led national leadership and ratified by the National Convention on May 31, 2019 in Awka.
In their submission at the lower court in Birnin Kudu they claimed that Oye was not reelected when his tenure expired on June 5, 2019. Why then use the constitution his leadership produced and submitted to INEC on June 17, 2019 when it officially came into effect?
You can see how confused Jude Okeke and Co are.
Another issue they raised at the Court was that Jude Okeke replaced one Edozie Njoku as acting national chairman. But facts before the court show that Edozie Njoku does not even exist in the eye of the law. In his appeal before the Court of Appeal in Kano he could not produce a single document to show any legitimate claim to the seat of the national chairman of APGA. All that was found in his file were two suits he filed against Oye at the High Courts in Abuja.
Njoku could not also show any evidence that INEC monitored his so-called national convention in Owerri on the same day the Oye-led APGA was holding their national convention in Awka.
Is it logical that INEC would monitor two national conventions of the same political party the same day?
Impossible.
There is no gainsaying the fact, that Edozie Njoku and Jude Okeke are impostors, fake and should be made to face criminal charges bordering on perjury, forgery, and impersonation.
In any other civilised society, such men should have been cooling their heels in jail, instead of being given prominence for their notoriety.
How could these men have laid claim to the office of national chairman of APGA so brazenly and nobody has called them to question?
Did law enforcement agencies and INEC not know that Chukwuma Umeoji whom INEC published his name in place of the legally-authorized person, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, whose particulars were duly uploaded and submitted to INEC on July 2, 2021, came to Oye-led APGA on May 27, 2021 to purchase Expression of Interest and Nomination forms which he filled and returned on June 8, 2021?
Did they also not know that the same Umeoji submitted himself to the same Oye-led APGA for screening?
When he was screened out, he even appealed by proxy to the Appeal Panel.
It was after his appeal was dismissed that he formed his own Exco, nay insurgents, with total strangers whom he railroaded into a hotel lobby at Garki Area 11, Abuja to hold what it called “national executive committee” meeting.
No genuine member of APGA as listed in Article 11 of the 2019 Constitution of the party attended the so-called NEC.
So on what basis is INEC dealing with Umeoji and Jude Okeke, if I may ask?
I have gone this far to unmask the impostors so that the whole world would know the true persons they are.
They know they have lost in their dangerous and puerile adventure and are seeking ways to escape the long arm of justice.
The story they are circulating about the sitting of the Kano Court of Appeal was a figment of their obsessed imagination, craftily sponsored to mislead, misguide and frighten the public and millions of APGA supporters.
In all, they have failed because the majority of APGA members have implicit confidence in the judiciary to do justice to the matter, towing the same line as the bold pronouncements by the Court of Appeal, Awka in which it took the judges that delivered the infamous judgments of Owerri and Birnin Kudu to the cleaners.
In its ruling on Monday, August 2, 2021 the court called for disciplinary action to be taken against the two judges and any other judges involved in giving judgements outside their areas of jurisdiction, including the lawyers that take such cases to them.
As a law-abiding party, I urge the leadership of the party under Obiano/Oye to continue to pursue justice and fairness in the best possible way, while urging their numerous supporters to remain upbeat and focused as the Court of Appeal deliver justice.
A Nigerian lady, simply identified as Lauretta, has reportedly been arrested for killing her boyfriend and absconding with his car and N7 million in Akwa Ibom.
According to Media and PR expert, Vincent Aluu, who shared the case online, Lauretta stabbed the deceased to death and escaped with his brand new Mercedes Benz 4matic, the car papers and N7m.
Aluu simply identified the deceased as Chukwuemeka and revealed that he was the only son of his parents and was an importer.
According to him, Chukwuemeka was found dead in his bedroom after all efforts made by his business associates to contact him to come and clear his consignments proved abortive.
He added that the suspect was traced and found using the tracking device on the car.
“Using the vehicle tracker, the daughter of Jezebel was traced to a nearby hotel enjoying. Currently, she is singing like a parrot at Ewet Housing Police Station.” Mr Aluu said.
“Chukwuemeka even promised to marry her. Her name is Lauretta from Ogoja. Her Dad is a Police officer. She used to reside along four lanes. She killed him in cold blood, took his 7 million naira, 4matic Mercedes Benz. Went to procure a driver’s license for herself. Requested some Road Safety officers to escort her to Ogoja. What must have instigated her action? Is she alone or there are others.” he added.
This is certainly not the best of time for Nigeria. And most certainly not for the advocates of #OneNigeria as Tuesday’s “No Devolution Of Power” vote at the floor of the Senate appears to have finally given a very serious form of institutional credence to the assertion by the Nnamdi kanu led Biafran movement that the Nigeria state is unsalvageable.
But beyond the rhetorics and verbal gymnastics, there are some wildly held opinions which the Senate vote has simply elevated to the status of fact. Here are some of them:
1: It is not the Senate as an institution that doesn’t want a restructured Nigeria. It is the North as a region. Sadly, long years of military rule and the demonic 1999 Constitution championed by mostly northern military officers have succeded in skewing the political equation of Nigeria in favour of the North. As it stands now, the North is in a default position to hold the rest of the country to ransom and that is exactly what is happening. She gets whatever she wants no matter how scandalous such a want might seem and she ensures that what the other region wants doesn’t see the light of day no matter how fair and just such a want might be. Even with the combination of the numerical strength of southern lawmakers, the North still has the veto power.
North East Development Commission bill was passed into law almost before it was even presented on the floor of the parliament. But, a bill to “gift” Lagos state with special status was killed. A bill to set up a development commission for the southeast was equally shut down. Before the adulterated version of PIB was allowed to pass 2nd reading, northern lawmakers made sure that Kano and Kaduna were included as beneficiaries of the Host Community fund even when those two northern states do not produce even one litre of oil.
2:No form of re-organization of the political and economic structure of the Nigerian state a.k.a restructuring, can be effected through the existing constitutional structure. The status-quo is terribly skewed in favour of the only region (North) currently benefiting from it.
The Yorubas want true federalism. The south south want to be in charge of their resources. Igbo elders want a well restructured Nigeria where every region will be able to harness her full potentials and develop at her own pace. Igbo youths, under Nnamdi kanu, is agitating for a total separation from Nigeria because they believe the North which holds the numerical advantage in every facets of state institution here would never allow for restructuring.
Under close examination, the aspirations by the aforementioned peoples/groups are not mutually exclusive but the bitter truth is that no amount of sophistry and beautiful poetry robed in flawless grammar will give us restructuring.
It was the height of naivity in the first place to assume that our Northern neighbours will willingly relinquish the undue advantage their military heads of state gifted them with, via the fraudulent Apertheid manual that is the 1999 Constitution, without a fight.
The North will never allow for a restructured Nigeria UNLESS she is confronted with an alternative such as a determined quest for a referendum by the other component units.
It is at this point that we must all admit that the leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has been right all along. The action of the Northern Senate caucus has further legitimised the Biafra struggle. Above all, it has buried the argument that the Biafra strong man, Kanu, should use institutionalized politics to push his quest for a referendum.
Contrary to a very popular Igbo saying, what the young man, Nnamdi Kanu, saw while lying down, the elders have failed to see even while comfortably perched ontop of iroko tree.
Our biggest mistake was antagonizing the IPOB leader rather than seizing the momentous occasion his Biafra agitation gifted us with to demand in practical terms, an end to the grave injustices and institutionalized daylight roquery in the Nigerian system.
How can it be that an “Emeka” from Akpugo-Nkanu in Enugu state must score not less than 120 to get admitted into federal govt unity college while an “Ibrahim” from Daura in Katsina state only needs to score 10 to be admitted into the same unity college……in the same country? And paradoxically funny enough, this same Ibrahim will most likely end up as the president of Nigeria even if he decides not to finish his secondary school education while the more intellectually endowed Emeka has less than 1% chance of even getting a job at the end of his academic sojourn??
Why should a state like Kano have the right to operate a parallel system of govt with sharia court (judiciary), sharia police known as the Hisbah working under the office of the governor (Executive) plus another very powerful body known as the Sharia commission (legislature) in the same country where Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, was almost crucified for setting up a security outfit to confront the marauding fulani herdsmen??
Institutionalized injustices such as these should be unacceptable even by the lowest moral standard of natural justice.
The enemies of Nigeria are not those pushing for her balkanization due to entrenched injustices in the system. The real enemies are the beneficiaries of the unjust system who have sworn to allow neither restructuring nor a referendum for us to determine our future. It is very important that we always remember this fact.
The fact that the advocates of restructuring are yet to hit the street in protest over the Senate action is a grave indictment on their seriousness and collective resolve as a group.
One thing is certain, the maintainability of the status-quo IS NOT an option.
Eventually, something must give.
The position of not just the Igbos but every southerner today DOES NOT call for political correctness.
By making a comprehensive restructuring of the system impossible, the North is only making the complete balkanization of the country inevitable.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the detained 12 associates of Yoruba nation advocate Sunday Igboho.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a ruling a moment ago, granted eight of them, whose bail application was not challenged by the Department of State Services (DSS) bail at N5million each.
Justice Egwuatu granted bail at N10million each for the other four, whose application was challenged by the DSS.
The judge also ordered each of the detainees to produce two sureties and directed they should remain in the custody of the DSS until they are able to meet the bail conditions.
