...Present a 13-point request
The youth wing of apex Igbo sociocultural group, Ohanaeze and the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW), have demanded an end to what it called “terrorism, mass murder and genocidal war unleashed on innocent Nigerians in various communities across the nation,” by militant herdsmen.
The groups which took the position at joint press conference on Sunday at Ikeja, Lagos, said it has become expedient to demand action in the wake of the “recent wave of crisis, killings, kidnapping and community invasion by armed bandits, under the aegis of Fulani Herdsmen, ISIS ISWA and Boko Haram.”
The groups expressed regret over what they called the inaction of President Muhammadu Buhari in the wake of the persistent killings, while declaring that: “We Say No To The Fulanization of Our Common Patrimony: Nigeria.”
“We are deeply concerned, as critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project, that Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government has allowed the ongoing Fulanization of Nigeria as seen in the terrorism, mass murder and genocidal war unleashed on innocent Nigerians in various communities across the nation by the armed bandits under the aegis of Fulani Herdsmen, ISIS, ISWA and Boko Haram terrorist group, despite the huge billions of dollars sunk into the anti terrorism war,” the groups said in a joint statement by Aremo Oladotun Hassan, President, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide and Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, represented by Comrade Obinnna Achionye, Deputy President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council.
They took exception to proposals by the Buhari government to set up cattle colony, Fulani radio and the alleged donation of N100 billion to herdsmen.
The statement said YCYW was reversing the time of an earlier scheduled summit on June 27 from 11am to 9am in order to mobilize “all our guests to honour the Late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s book lunch, on the translation of all Papa’s works into Yoruba Language program organized by Alaroye Magazine, slated for same 27th of June, 2019 at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State billed to commence by 11a.m.”
It further disclosed that a date in 2019 will be mutually agreed between the two regions on the convening of a Joint South West and South East Security Summit.
The groups presented 13-point demand it tagged “National Charter of Demands” as follows:
“1. We demand the immediate enactment of a new people’s National and Regional Constitution(s) respectively.
2. We demand the immediate Establishment of the Southwest and Southeast Regional Development Commissions, to exclusively control and manage all mineral resources within their respective zones.
The commission shall exclusively conduct monitoring /management of funds generated within the zones. Just like Dubai, Shangai etc.
3. We Demand the Establishment by All Southwest and Southeast Governors Forum (SWSEGF), to consolidate on the initiative of the South West-South East Joint Regional Security Networks(JRSN), wherein all our local vigilante and security organizations in both zones can be inculcated into the network.
4. We demand Immediate Establishment of Southwest- Southeast Educational Right Laws
5. We demand the Establishment of Southwest Southeast Trade and Commerce Development Council, inorder to foster our socio-economic integration and development.
6. We demand the implementation of the new Electoral Laws with a new caveat for INEC to conduct all Local Government Elections and ensure Diaspora voting simultaneously at the 2023 National Election.
7. We demand the establishment of the Southwest-Southeast Economic Integration and Development Summit Group by Governors and passed by their State Houses of Assembly of the both regions.
8. The Establishment of the Southwest-Southwest Peace Commission by Governors and passed by their State Houses of Assembly of the both regions.
9. The Establishment of Southwest-Southeast Obas and Chief Commission by Governors and passed by their State Houses of Assembly of the both regions.
10. The Establishment of Southwest-Southeast Sports Council by Governors and passed by their State Houses of Assembly of the both regions.
11. The conduct of A National/Regional/State/Local Government Census by 2020, while the Governors of each Southwest ans Southeast States conduct a Special iIdentification Data Program for their respective States indigenes.
12. We support the newly Federal Government endorsed Enyimba Economic City facilitated by Abia State Government( a replica of Dubai) for it’s importance in Job creation for the teeming Unemployed Youths and Economic development of the South East and Urge that it should be replicated in the South West as Eko Economic City.
(13)Any other resolutions ancillary to the aforementioned demands.”
