I’m not averse to genuine restructuring of Nigeria – Nnamdi Kanu

UMUAHIA – The Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has said that he is not opposed to any genuine restructuring of Nigeria along the lines of the 1963 Constitution.

The IPOB leader insisted that unless those opposed to the holistic restructuring of Nigeria repented, his demand for a referendum to determine whether the people of Biafra would like to exit or continue as part of Nigeria remained sacrosanct.

Kanu’s position was conveyed to Vanguard by his younger brother, Prince Emmanuel, after meeting with him at his solitary confinement at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS.

He quoted Kanu as saying, “We are not averse to the genuine restructuring of the country. We know that the country cannot grow or make progress under the current unworking unitary structure. The facts are clear for all to see.

“Our position remains the same as our submission in the presence of Prof. Ben Nwabueze, and Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko on 30th August 2017 at the meeting with the South East Governors in Enugu. We have no reason to add or subtract from our position six years ago.

“We reiterate that we are not opposed to a consensual but wholesome restructuring of the country along the 1963 constitution.”

Kanu blamed those who disrupted an earlier attempt by the Federal Government in 2017 to reach a truce with him, for the current insecurity in the South East.

“Those who disrupted the 2017 peace process, only engineered and activated the unpleasant experiences of the past three years. Had they allowed the second meeting of September 15th 2017 to hold, meaningful outcome would have been long achieved.

“The unprovoked invasion of my family homestead on September 14th 2017, which led to the untimely death of dozens of citizens and inspired the demise of my parents, created the unsavoury atmosphere that engulfed the region moving forward.”

The IPOB Leader gave conditions for true reconciliation, insisting that the grossly marginalized South East and the entire Biafra land should be rebuilt and brought at par with other regions of the country.

Kanu specifically demanded the siting of a viable commercial seaport and functional cargo international airport in the South East to help revamp the economy of the region.

“Establishment of long denied critical infrastructure in our region. Commercial Seaport, International Airport with cargo wing, rail services and other deliberately denied infrastructure.”

According to the IPOB Leader, the growing agitation for the restoration of Biafra was borne out of the deep-seated injustice against Biafrans by the Nigerian state.

“Those determined on riding fellow citizens as donkeys, should understand that their refusal to treat every region fairly, is at the root of our agitation for justice and equality.

“The people of the region desire to be treated fairly and treated right. We stand by our demand for justice, equity and fairness for all. This is our position.”

Kanu was further quoted as saying:”My position has remained unchanged for very many years, regardless of my unjust and unfair incarceration. Our demand for a referendum to determine whether our people will choose to remain in the country that has so unkindly treated us for decades, remain our goal, unless those opposing the wholesome restructuring of the country repent.

“We are resolute because the oppressor leaves us no choice. Since the 1980s and the 1990s, every plea to return the country to the 1963 constitution, has sadly fallen on deaf ears, leaving us no choice than to find any avenue that would guarantee a safe future and better tomorrow for our unborn grandchildren. We have no regrets whatsoever articulating a better future for our progeny.

“Being mocked consistently over our earlier demand for an early return to true federalism and devolution of powers, we saw we had no other choice than to work towards a referendum to determine our future. Our decision and preference for our own country where our children will be fairly treated is as a result of the unacceptable unabating mistreatment since 1966.

” First the horrendous pogroms, then the bitter war, the deliberate dissempowerment after the war (the £20 offer), the scorched earth policy and war of attrition viciously visited on our region ever since.

“The deliberate denial of critical federal government-driven basic infrastructure such as a functional commercial seaport, railways, international Airport with cargo wing, dry port (container terminal), greater electricity generation, export free zone and East/West railway and road network that will help our people feel like being truly part of the country, confirms our second class status, which we reject.

“The unkind marginalisation we have suffered as a region since 1970, is only possible because of the centralised structure enabled by the unitary 1999 constitution.

“We remain committed to our demand for a referendum as long as those totally opposed to the restructuring of the country along the lines of true federalism and power devolution continue to resist the cry for a new fair, just and equitable constitution along the lines of the 1963 Republican constitution.

“We will be betraying our people and selling away their future, if we continue to wobble along in this unhelpful 1999 unitary constitution designed and written and given by unelected soldiers.

“I led marches in the UK pleading for a consensual restructuring of the country via a constitutional conference and the enthronement of a new people’s constitution all through the 1990s.

“We were mocked and ridiculed consistently by a small clique of compatriots, who claimed they were born to rule. Their stiff opposition to a peaceful restructuring of the country, made our agitation inevitable. They are simply telling us “to go to hell” and “do our worst.”

“At the meeting with the South East Governors on 30th August 2017, I pleaded with the Governors to plead with Mr President to begin the early restructuring of the country along the lines of true federalism and devolution of power back to the 1963 constitution.

“I also pleaded for affirmative action to expedite immediate construction of the earlier mentioned deliberately denied infrastructure in our region. The response was a vicious military attack to violently eliminate me on the 14th of September 2017, a day before the follow up concluding meeting.”

Kanu has consistently pursued the restoration of Biafra Republic through non- violent means until his abduction in Kenya and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria.

He has, since June 2021, after his rendition, remained in detention at the DSS headquarters.

The Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, refused to affirm earlier court judgments ordering his immediate and unconditional release.

He was referred to the High Court for trial on treason charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

There have been growing appeals for his release by eminent Nigerians who blame his continued detention for the unending insecurity in the South East.