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IGBO COALITION REACTS TO PRESIDENT
BUHARI’S BROADCAST SPEECH
By Joseph A Adudu
Tuesday, 22nd August, 2017
A group
known as the Igbo Civil Society Coalition (ICSCO) has reacted to President
Buhari’s national broadcast yesterday. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator
and a copy made available to African
Drum, the group faulted the President for not being specific on some fundamental
security issues confronting the country as well contradicting himself on the
unity of Nigeria and its political development. Below is the detail of the text
of the press statement.
A PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE IGBO
CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION (ICSCO) IN REACTION TO PRESIDENT BUHARI’S NATIONAL
BROADCAST THIS MORNING, 21ST AUGUST, 2017
The
Igbo Civil Society Coalition (ICSCO) is filled with joy at the return in
renewed good health of our beloved President, Muhammadu Buhari after his
medical vacation in the UK. We are also impressed with the way the Vice
President Prof Yemi Osinbajo ran the affairs of the country as Acting
President. We also note that Mr. President stated that he was being briefed
fully on issues at home. As such, he was fully abreast of happenings in the
country.
For
us, the most interesting aspect of the broadcast was his acknowledgement that
every group in Nigeria had grievances and legitimate concerns and also when he
referred to his desire for economic security, political evolution and
integration as well as peace. Therefore, having realized the legitimacy of
these grievances and concerns, it is contradictory for him to maintain that
Nigeria’s unity or political future was non-negotiable since it is only through
negotiations and peaceful dialogue that those grievances can be properly
addressed for the peace and development of the country.
We
believe that he should have specifically addressed the issue of the Quit Notice
by Arewa Youths to Ndigbo and the genocidal Igbo hate song currently trending
in most states of Northern Nigeria since the October 1st deadline is fast approaching
and the security of lives, property and rights of Ndigbo domiciled in the North
hangs in the balance.
Mr.
President was as well expected to specifically condemn the killings by herdsmen
across most states of the country especially in the Middle Belt, instead of a
general statement referring to herdsmen/farmers clashes.
Also,
we are disturbed by his emphasis on the use of the military and security
agencies to solve political problems. Indeed, the use of the military in
solving civilian / political problems is one of the issues that Nigerians are
insisting should be discussed in view of notions of partiality or impartiality
by those agencies or aspects thereof in the course of the discharge of their
functions.
We
are appealing to our President, whose fight against corruption we fully
support, not to foreclose the discussion of these issues by Nigerians
themselves instead of The National Assembly and National Council of State which
he referred Nigerians to. On one hand, the National Assembly that he accused of
obstructing fight against corruption and other policies. Secondly, we are
unaware of how many Igbos, Tivs, Nupes, Beroms, Igala, Idoma, Efiks, Ibibios,
Binis, Jukuns, etc that are in the Council of State.
Therefore,
under these circumstances, the destiny of Nigerians should properly be referred
to Nigerians instead of those that have in several years and instances tried
and failed woefully in securing the peace and unity of Nigeria. This becomes
more pertinent following the rather unpopular defeat of restructuring at the
just concluded National Assembly debate on constitutional amendment.
Signed:
Prof Obasi Igwe
National Coordinator
Prof Obasi Igwe
National Coordinator
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