SAN FRANCISCO, June 26, (THEWILL) – The Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of ”dividing Nigeria”, adding that this disposition of the government is responsible for various agitations across the country.
Speaking on some national issues on Sunday, he advised the federal government to be equitable, fair and just to all sections of the country, especially the Igbo people, whom he said had been grossly marginalised.
The governor noted that the Igbo have been made to suffer forever because of their role in the civil war, pointing out that ”it is the legitimate right of the people to agitate if they feel they are wrongly treated”.
“Without mincing words, the present government has divided Nigeria more than ever. It is the legitimate right of the people to agitate if they feel they are wrongly treated. You can’t get peace where there is no justice.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. It is the wish of some people that an Igbo man does not become the president but this is against the spirit and letters of our constitution,” Fayose said.
Instead of using force in its bid to quell agitations for Biafra republic, he advised the federal government should dialogue with the leader of the Indigenous People agitationsof Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, and release other members of the group still in detention.
The governor called on the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to put in more effort to be able to address some daunting challenges confronting the country.
“The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is doing his best but that is not enough. We must remember that those who make positive change impossible make violent change inevitable. A situation where a section will be suffering forever because of their role in the civil war is not fair.
“As much as secession is not an option, the handlers of our democracy must be equitable, fair and just to everyone. The Igbo have continued to suffer because of the perceived role of Emeka Ojukwu. If we say past governments didn’t do well what has the present government done differently?
“I agree that secession is not desirable but there must be justice and equity. When people are being killed or vilified, you must expect a reaction. No region should begin to use power to oppress another. If Nigeria is truly one, it will not get to a stage that one region will openly call on another to leave its land,” he said.
Speaking on the way forward, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum called for a review of “the revenue sharing formula because it is not a true reflection of our collective interest. For the country to move forward the states should takeover economically.”
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