The Coalition of Northern groups, CNG has stated that only a referendum on Biafra for the Igbos will guarantee a peaceful existence for Nigeria.
In a statement on Monday signed by spokesperson, Abdulazeez Suleiman, the group disclosed that “only a referendum for Igbo exit from Nigeria can provide final guarantee for a peaceful Nigeria.”
The statement read in part; “We insist on a referendum to take place across the country to agree on an immediate and permanent exit of the Igbo from Nigeria.”
“With this, we wish to stress the need for Nigerians and Nigerian authorities and the International Community to consider the above stated facts and urgently come to the reality that it is is no longer realistic for us to continue condoning and accommodating the ever resurgent unreasonable and unacceptable actions perpetrated against Nigerians collectively by the Igbo that involve taking up arms and declaring war two times previously.”
“And in the event that the minority Igbo leaders persist in their current denial, we suggest that a referendum be organised, administered and supervised by the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS in the South East with only its indigenes taking part in the process to determine who actually holds the most influence between them and Kanu.”
“All Igbo must leave the territory of Nigeria and assemble in their designated enclave for the purpose of the referendum during which period no further contacts should be experienced between them and the rest of Nigeria so as not to lead to any interference in the process.”
The group also stated that the Federal government will not interfere in any part of the referendum. The group rubbished claims of marginalisation as being the basis for secession from Nigeria, stating that the Igbos have more than a fair share in the affairs of Nigeria.
“Contrary to the Igbo leaders’ claims of marginalization premised on falsehood and deceit, records of history show that the Igbo, having produced the first post independence president of Nigeria, also had the first military Head of State in the person of Aguiyi Ironsi.”
“Despite the more than a fair share of economic and political advantage enjoyed by the Igbo, they continue to incite their youth to violence against other Nigerian ethnicities and to prepare them for war against the Nigerian state using distorted versions of the right to self-determination and false claims of marginalization.”
