The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on Monday tasked the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to create additional states in the southeast and granting of full autonomy to regions as away to end the increasing agitations in Nigeria.
The group made this known in a statement signed by the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Comrade Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and forwarded to DAILY POST on Monday.
The statement reads in part: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has advised the Federal Government that the best political solutions for the Biafra agitation in the southeast are to provide platforms for genuine dialogue, and initiate the process to interface with neutral Igbo leaders by strictly prohibiting Igbo politicians from the dialogue because t they are part of the problems in the southeast.
“We are aware of the International pressures In the Federal Government presently and why FG should not miss the opportunity to seek for genuine dialogue with neutral Igbo Patriots and Elder statesmen, who will genuinely communicate the plights of IGBO without the usual manipulative infusions of southeast politicians.
“The international pressures on the Federal Government in respect to the extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu after the Kenyan Government confirmed that there were no official extradition proceedings of Kanu before he was sent to Nigeria, these International pressures have opened up extraordinary circumstances that must be explored by both the Federal Government and non-political Igbo leaders.”
Ohanaeze, however, urged the Federal Government to engage in a genuine dialogue with Igbo leaders that will genuinely communicate the plights of Igbos without the manipulative infusions of southeast politicians, which is what can bring peace in the region.
The group added: “The first step expected from the Federal Government is to set in motion mechanism for peaceful dialogue with Igbo religious leaders, Igbo Traditional rulers and selected few Elder statesmen like Pa Mbazulike Amaechi, Elder KUK Kalu and others, as it’s obvious that FG can’t shy away from peace talks with IGBO before the next court appearance of Nnamdi Kanu 19th January 2022 with the exclusion of Igbo Governors, Igbo National Assembly members, Igbo Federal Executive Council members, Igbo APC and PDP members in attendance.
“The Federal Government should expedite actions that will lead to additional State creation for the southeast and granting of full autonomy of Federating units of all the regions in the country, these are the two best options as political solutions for addressing the activities of Biafra groups and their arrowheads.
“The releases of Nnamdi Kanu and Igboho from incarceration without addressing the causes of the agitations will worsen the situation at hand, it will escalate their activities of the agitations, the only options for F.G now are to create an additional state for the southeast and regional autonomy for the southeastern region through the National Assembly.”
