A coalition of right groups under the aegis of Niger Delta Security Watch Organization of Nigeria and Ijaw Human Rights Monitors has thrown its weight behind those calling for the restructuring of Nigeria through a referendum.
This was contained in a joint statement signed by Barrister Dickson Bekederemo, the President of Niger Delta Security Watch Organisation of Nigeria, and Fred Brisibe, the Coordinator of Ijaw Human Rights Monitors, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday.
The groups said the current situation the country has find itself requires urgent attention where the various tribal nations have to converge to ascertain if the ethnic nationalities are still willing to remain in the union.
They maintained that the convocation of a referendum for the purpose of re-defining “”this controversial matrimony has become imperative, in our opinion, considering the increasing number of insurgent movements in the country.
“There is the Boko Haram group that now yearns for an independent Islamic Caliphate from the Northern region. From the same North, the Shiite militia is increasing in prominence with their ambitious desire to rule over the country with their religion.
“The marauding Fulani herdsmen who are wreaking havoc all over the country are also from the North to pursue a “take over all the lands” mission in the South.
“The mission of the Fulani herdsman is understandingly an offshoot of the twisted mentality that Nigeria belongs only to the people of the North.
“The secessionist movement of the South- Eastern people for a Biafra Republic is at the climax of exploding into a bloody agitation.
“In the South- South region is the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) whose target is to flatten the oil economy. In the same spirit with, particularly, the agitators for Sovereign State of Biafra, the Avengers are on a mission to achieve a Republic of Niger Delta for the impoverished people of the region.
“Without any doubt, these are symptoms of a nation in dire need of direction. It appears the sanctity of the unity and mutual trust that brought us together as one indivisible and indisolluble country has been desecrated by selfish and self-serving political gatekeepers.
“In view of the glaring dearth of tolerance, it is incumbent on President Muhammadu Buhari to convey a REFERENDUMS to ascertain whether the people of Nigeria are still willing to live together as a people of one nation.
“This is the position of the NIGER-DELTA AVENGERS and the feeling of many oppressed Nigerians. We, therefore, stand with the Avengers on convocation of a referendum. The messenger may be hated but the message he brought is in line with current realities. We can no longer pretend to be in peace and harmony with one another when the opposite is the case.”
The groups however said the call for convocation of referendum is within the ambit of laid down laws and conventions to pursue peaceful dissolution on the ground of seeking for manumission from an overbearing economic and political intolerance and domination.
According to it: “Article 19 of the African Charter frowns at and condemns the domination of a people by others. While Article 19 condemns domination of all kinds: political or economic, social, etc,etc, Article 20 permits a people so dominated to seek Self- Determination in order to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic and social development according to the policy freely chosen by them, it further asserted.
“In the light of this, a REFERENDUM will open the floodgate of peaceful and bloodless separation. A separation without bloodbath will create an atmosphere of peace and friendship amongst new sovereign states to continue in partnership based on bilateral or cross national agreements.
“The contemplation to declare war on the Niger Delta Avengers will be counter -productive because it will result in the unnecessary transformation of the passive Niger Delta population into battalions of active freedom fighters.
“Such determination can only be conquered by allowing the various ethnic nationalities to decide if they still want to remain in this marriage or not and on what terms.”
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