•Pack your belongings and return home, agitators tell Igbo in the North
•We’ve no cause to ferry them home now-Governors
•Osinbajo: Nigeria is in an indissoluble marriage
•Tambuwal, Lalong, Masari say Igbo safe in their states
The Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) seems not to be in agreement with the position of the Southeast governors that Igbo resident in the North should ignore the quit notice issued by some Arewa youth organisations.
The Biafran group yesterday accepted the quit notice and asked Igbo up north to begin to pack their belongings preparatory to relocation to the south.
This is contrary to the stance of the Southeast Governors Forum which had, late on Friday, dismissed speculations that it had concluded arrangement to ferry home millions of Igbo in the North on account of the quit threat.
It said it had no such plan for now and that the Igbo should remain where they are and continue with their normal life.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at a function in Ibadan yesterday pointed out that Nigeria is better off as an entity as opposed to the dismemberment being agitated in some quarters.
He likened the federation to a marriage that is bound to have its ups and downs but which must last for life.
Three northern governors – Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto),Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Aminu Masari (Katsina) – said the Igbo in their states have nothing to fear and should remain where ever they are.
The director of media and publicity of IPOB, Emma Powerful, said in a statement yesterday said it was grateful to the Arewa Elders Forum (AEF), Arewa Youths and Arewa Consultative Forum “for seeing sense in what IPOB has been saying about the need for a referendum to be conducted in Nigeria to decide the fate of the component ethnic nationalities criminally lumped together by the British in 1914,’’ and to “vocal Northerners for at least having the courtesy to issue advance warning this time.’’
It promised to “adhere to your warning to leave Northern Nigeria because a word is enough for the wise. Biafrans and other Southerners should start packing their properties to come down to the South,’’ and advised Northern youths and elders to “keep it on because all they have done is exercise their right to free speech which is not a crime under any law known to man.’’
It said it was not in support of calls for the arrest of such Arewa Youths and their Elders.Click to read more.
