Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, says a few people
can’t declare the establishment of “Yoruba nation”, without considering the
general interest of the south-west region.
Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader better known as Sunday
Igboho, had declared Yoruba as a separate nation and demanded the secession of
the south-west states from Nigeria.
Commenting on the declaration on Monday, Akeredolu had said
Ondo people have chosen to stay in Nigeria, adding that advocates of Oduduwa
Republic are politicians who lost out on power.
Speaking further on Tuesday when he featured on a programme
on Channels Television, Akeredolu said the issue of secession must be a
consensus and not the opinion of a group of individuals.
The Ondo governor maintained that those clamouring for
secession do not speak for people of the state.
“It is a group of individuals who are raising this issue;
they are entitled to it. Everybody is entitled to his own position, but when
you come to the issue of nation or you want to leave a particular setup, there
must be a consensus,” he said.
“Nobody can on his own wake up and say he is speaking on
behalf of others. Who gave them such powers? We have never yielded power to
people to speak on our behalf on matter of this importance. That is what we are
saying.
“A few people cannot just stand up one day and say to us,
‘yes, we want Yoruba nation.’ How? Where did we sit down to discuss this? With
who and who? At what point in time? So, if you do not carry everybody along,
you cannot be representing us.”
‘APC IS READY TO RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA’
When asked if the ruling party has plans to consider
restructuring the country or to make it a national discourse, the governor said
a number of APC members believe that the country must be restructured.
“A number of us, no doubt, believe that the issue of
restructure of this country must be addressed,” he said.
“We are not running away from that fact as you know even our
constitution (referring to the 1999 constitution), restructuring is fundamental
there.
“I think it one of those issues that is being taken at the
national assembly, but I’m not too sure our people are ready to wait for
national assembly to conclude their own process.
“I believe if it is in our constitution or part of our
manifesto, we will push it through.”
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