Biafra Nations Youth League,
BNYL, has advised people of the South East and South-South not to expect a
referendum from Nigerian government.
BNYL leader, Princewill Obuka on
Monday said asking for a referendum is a waste of time.
“Catalonia did not beg Spain for
a referendum, the separatists did it in collaboration with regional authorities
or separatists government”, he said.
“How on earth do we expect a
nation that spent almost all her resources to engage us in three years war give
us referendum on a platter of gold.
“BNYL do not see the possibility
of Buhari’s government allowing a referendum. Is it the Senate and House of Rep
that will vote for referendum to be conducted?
“How many are we there? Our
people there are just a few in the legislature. Some say they are in court
asking for referendum and I begin to wonder how a government controlled court
would go against their constitution”.
Obuka recalled the case of
Bakassi Peninsula, where a Federal High Court Abuja judgement stopping the
government from ceding the peninsula pending resettlement of natives was
ignored.
Advising, agitators not to
compare Biafra’s case to that of Catalonia, he said the area is a region with a
regional separatists government and thus was easy for the region to conduct
referendum and peaceful protests.
“In 1967 we had a regional
government that was in control of our armed forces, but today, we have been
divided into States.
“We are now at the stage of
agitations, protests etc, we need to look beyond referendum from Federal
government.
“We can not expect people we call
our enemies to conduct free, fair and credible referendum for us”.
Obuka stressed that the division
of defunct Eastern region into states and geopolitical zones disorganized the
political class “that they are no longer focused, instead they now focus on
their personal interests and tribal politics”.
“I think those who are supposed
to conduct referendum for us are the States to ascertain if we really have the
support of the masses.
“But they are all afraid, and
since they have proved incapable of doing that for us, we have to strategise;
look beyond the demands for referendum.
“After all we fought three years
war to prove we are serious, it is admitted we lost the war but today we have
continued from where our warlords stopped”.
“Asking UN to pressurize them
(Nigerian govt) would have been little bit better, but what is the level of
diplomatic relationship we have with the UN.
“The truth is we have to make
friends with countries in the UN…sign agreement if possible because it is all
about interest.
“Not when one goes to the UN and
a bill of rights he or she starts feeling the UN has endorsed our cause. The
game is all about recognitions.
“Till now, we don’t have a
legitimate central authority that coordinates the affairs of the struggle.
“We need a structure, an interim
institutional authority at the centre that every tribe are fully involved, we
can do that without dissolving our organizational structures”.
Meanwhile, BNYL has stated that
its ongoing referendum in communities and local government areas in the South
South is “recording huge success.”
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