Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has once again called on the
federal government to handle the agitation of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) with caution and allow leaders of the Southeast region
to apply political solutions as against the use of force, which has
created tension in Abia State and the entire Southeast since the
military embarked on its Operation Python Dance II.
Loading ...Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New
Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement on Saturday, that Governor
Fayose also called the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and his followers to
desist from any act capable of threatening the peaceful co-existence
of Nigerians and allow dialogue to resolve their agitations.
The governor said the federal government should be reminded of how
late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua handled the Niger-Delta militancy
with dialogue and consultations, adding that the same approach should
be used to address IPOB agitations and those of others rather than
military option.
The governor said; “For whatever reasons, the federal government
should avoid being seen as becoming trigger happy because in every
union, there will always be agitations and leaders must listen to such
agitations and address them.
“I was particularly happy when Governors of the South-East states met
with Nnamdi Kanu, 16 days ago and I commended the governors then and
said that the federal government should allow the governors and other
leaders of the region to intervene just as governors from the Northern
States were allowed to peacefully address the Arewa Youths threat
against Igbos living in the north.
“The federal government should therefore withdraw the military from
the Southeast and encourag the peace effort of the Southeast
governors so as to prevent further bloodshed and tension as being
witnessed in Abia State now.”
Maintaining that Nigerians will always agitate for the restructuring
of the country, Governor Fayose said; “The moment it becomes necessary
for Nigerians living outside their states of origin to be assured of
their safety where they reside, it should be obvious to all discerning
minds that all is not well.
“For instance, here in Ekiti, we do not need to begin to assure other
tribes living in the State of their safety because as a government,
our actions never threatened the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians
living in Ekiti State.
“Therefore, instead of trying to suppress agitations, the federal
government should accede to calls for the restructuring of the country
so that we can have a country that we can all call our own.”
