Voice of Nigeria boss Osita Okechukwu says concept of Biafra is no longer feasible

VOICE of Nigeria (Von) managing director Osita Okechukwu has dismissed the agitation for the creation of the sovereign state of Biafra arguing that it is no longer feasible taking into cognisance the current political calculations in the country.

 

Over the last year, several Igbo organisations have been campaigning for the recreation of the breakaway republic of Biafra that existed briefly between July 1967 and January 1970. Mr Okechukwu, an ethnic Igbo himself, has, however, told such campaigners to shelve the idea as it is not realistic.

 

Speaking in Abuja yesterday at a gathering of the Abuja chapter of the pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Mr Okechukwu said even Ndigbo are not united behind the idea. He added that the decision to vote against the return to regional government at the last national conference makes the Biafran agitation difficult to realise.

 

In response, secessionist group the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), said it was not surprised by the display of shallow understanding of what referendum is and its processes, as displayed by the present administration of All Progressives Congress (APC). Ipob spokesman Emma Nmezu, also condemned President Muhammadu Buhari for ruling a referendum out.

 

He added: “In a presidential system like the one practised in Nigeria, the referendum process is not subject to the dictates of the presidency or the executive arm of government. In other words, the president of a country has no business, legal right or claimed superiority to determine if there will be referendum or not.

 

“It is therefore, not surprising that APC government led by Buhari displayed shallow understanding of a referendum process through Mr President’s utterances during a media event in New York City on September 24, 2016. The Nigerian president was reported to have asserted that there will not be referendum for Biafra independence."

 

He added that for instance, the Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013 which led to the referendum vote of September 18, 2014 was passed  by the Scottish Parliament on November 14 2013. According to Mr Nmezu, even the Scottish Parliament itself was brought into existence through the Scottish Devolution pre-legislative referendum of 11 September 1997.