Afenifere, Ohanaeze Condemn Buhari’s Claim that Nigeria’s Unity is Non-Negotiable

Afenifere, Ohanaeze Condemn Buhari’s Claim that Nigeria’s Unity is Non-Negotiable

Two of the most popular socio-cultural groups in Nigeria, the Afenifere group popular with the South-West region dominated by the Yoruba ethnic group, and the Ohaeneze Ndigbo of the South-East region, have rejected Wednesday’s declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigeria’s unity was non-negotiable.

Punch reports that the national publicity secretary of the Afenifere group, Mr Yinka Odumakin, stated that he believed President Buhari might not be reading the mood of the nation correctly.

“The country is divided under him than before. Amalgamation and armed dialogue are going on all around us over the unity of Nigeria which many sections perceive has treated them unfairly.

“To continue to insist that the unity is not negotiable is aping that bird which buries its head in the sand and believes, because it is seeing nobody, it has become invisible too,” Odumakin said.

President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, also agreed with the Afenifere that it was wrong for the president to say the unity of Nigeria was non-negotiable.

Isiguzoro maintained that the current structure of Nigeria had not favoured all parts of the country and that Nigeria’s unity should be subjected to periodic review.

“At the moment, the structure that is in place is not in favour of everybody. Those that it is favouring are the ones who want the status quo to be maintained, but those it has not favoured, like the Igbo, are open to a negotiation of the country’s unity.

“The Igbo demanded restructuring at the last constitutional conference and we are still holding on to that demand. We believe Nigeria’s unity should be subject to periodic review,” Isiguzoro said.

He added, “We are not calling for secession, but a periodic review of the terms of the country’s unity is necessary for peaceful coexistence, otherwise agitations for separation would continue to grow.”