Igbo
Delegates Assembly (IDA), an umbrella body of Igbos in the 19 northern states
and Abuja, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to dialogue with the
leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and leaders of other
agitating groups.
The
assembly, rising from a three-day meeting in Abuja, urged the government to
shelve the idea of revoking Kanu’s bail.
A communiqué
signed at the end of the meeting by Chi Nwogu and Austine Ifedinezi, president
general and secretary of the assembly, respectively, urged the federal
government to take urgent steps to put Nigeria “on a path of peaceful
co-existence, through equitable distribution of patronage and infrastructural
development.”
IDA argued
that the recent outburst in favour of the establishment of the state of Biafra
was simply a response to the socio-economic imbalances in Nigeria which, they
added, would give way once the imbalances are genuinely addressed.
The group
added that “together as a people and persuade the federal government to put in
place a framework for equitable existence in the Nigerian project.
“This should
be done through the convocation of a sovereign conference, of the component
ethnic nationalities, or an adoption of the reports of the 2014 National
Conference.”
On the
withdrawal of the October 1, 2017 quit notice on Igbo in the North by Arewa
youths, the assembly saluted prominent northerners who worked for peace as well
as the courage of the Coalition in backing down.
“It is on
this note that we appeal to security agencies to be on guard throughout the
period to prevent any breakdown of law and order in any part of Nigeria,
especially in the north,” it said.
0 Comments