Rather, Agbakoba justified the demand for self-determination by the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra, which is seeking a referendum to achieve same.
Agbakoba, who rejected the declaration by acting President Yemi Osinbajo that Nigeria’s sovereignty was not negotiable, said IPOB’s quest for self-determination was lawful and found justification in Article 1 (2) of the United Nations Charter and Article 20 (1) of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights, to which Nigeria was a signatory.
He said the Federal Government must immediately initiate a process to put the continued existence of Nigeria as a sovereign entity to a debate, stressing that restructuring was not the road map to federalism.
The legal luminary addressed journalists in Lagos on Tuesday at his Ikoyi office on “The future of Nigeria.”
Agbakoba said,
“I see every politician now says restructure but I disagree. I also think the acting President was wrong to say that Nigeria is insoluble. There is nothing sacrosanct about Nigeria. It can blow up anytime. It’s an artificial creation, which was made in 1914 and when it was amalgamated we were not there. It was amalgamated in the interest of the colonialists.”Agbakoba said it was unfortunate that since 1914 when amalgamation was thrust on the people, there had not been any home-grown process to resolve the will of the people to co-exist.
Agbakoba, who had once sued the Federal Government for neglecting the South-East, argued that the Federal Government goofed by charging the IPOB leader with treasonable felony for seeking self-determination.
He said,
When asked whether he aligned with IPOB’s call for a referendum towards self-determination, Agbakoba, who said he had nothing against Kanu, responded,“For me, the best that he can be charged with is unlawful assembly and an act capable of breaching public peace. Those are the things he can be charged with, but not treason; because Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations’ Charter, which recognizes the right for self-determination.”
Agbakoba, who was a delegate at the 2014 National Conference, also said implementing the resolutions of the conference would not quell the various secessionist agitations in the country.“Absolutely! What is sacrosanct about Nigeria? Nothing. What is sacrosanct about Nigeria is our agreement to be part of Nigeria. I’m not suggesting that Nigeria should not exist but to say that Nigeria’s sovereignty is not negotiable, nobody should talk about it.”
He argued that while it was politically incorrect for the Arewa youths to give the Igbo living in the North a quit notice, there was no legal basis to call for their arrest.
He said,
“Did they commit any crime? They just said, ‘leave our place,’ that’s all. It’s not in the criminal code that if I tell a man to leave my house I have committed a crime. I have a right to tell you, this is my house, leave. It’s politically incorrect to tell the Igbo to leave but I don’t see any crime. And let’s be clear, we should not make this thing sound legalistic… it is political.”
Interesting.... I have said it before,,, I time will come when this so called leaders will be willing to negotiate,, but by then it will be too late....I also support the call for referendum.... Let us decide ourselves if we really want ONE-NIGERIA...
ReplyDeleteYou talk about referendum in Nigeria, do you think the country has the facilities to conduct a better referendum, is more like an election bro, something can still happen
DeleteYes we can...Nigerians are tired of seeing certain cartel stealing what belongs to us all
DeletePlease tel me how it can be achieved ?
DeleteA referendum is not an election to vote who seats in a particular position...... If u want this know d minds of Igbo's towards this issue...ur in d east...take time,,conduct a random sampling by asking @least 15 different sets of people what they want...Nigeria or Biafra.....come back n tell me what ur outcome is....if 90% of the people in Southeast currently has their mind made up who then will have the guts to manipulate their votes ......
DeleteI am fully aware of the dictionary meaning of the word "referendum" and as well it's abstract meaning.
DeleteI never said it is synonymous with the word "election".....but this is my point; elections can and has always being manipulated in this country so also will referendum be manipulated, you forget that people sell their votes for money?
On the issue of carrying out sampling within my vicinity base of his matter, I have done that practically brother, let me take my department for example, majority of persons in my department seem to agree with me that Biafra has no unity to even seek sovereignty currently in Nigeria, what will happen if such sovereignty must have being granted to them, won't they kill themselves?
This is what I am fully aware of, majority of the Igbo people are afraid to talk when these Biafra boys agitate because they are afraid of loosing their lives but with the provision of a referendum especially if conducted properly and the citizens are assured that their interest and choice to some extent will be concealed enough, they will express themselves properly.
A debate for continued existence of Nigeria as a sovereign entity will be an interesting one to witness if t shall be conducted, I believe that many will propose the motion tha Nigeria should remain a sovereign entity......I will be one of them
ReplyDeleteU believe abi...then tell ur APC to without hesitation hasten the referendum exercise in southeast
DeleteThen let it happen they have to stop wasting time
DeleteYou know that if am in the position to do that, I will certainly do it@Olovo
DeleteGood I believe what mr KANU is fighting for will surly come if so called keep wasting time to call him to order
ReplyDeleteBut I no do again na by force
ReplyDelete