By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Jerry Obasi, has tasked the federal government to pursue a political solution to resolve the Biafran question and the agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, seeking for an independent state of Biafra.

Obasi who spoke with Vanguard in Umuahia, stated that the Biafran agitation is being fuelled by the marginalization of the Igbo in Nigeria and urged the federal government to be committed in totally solving the Biafran problem in Nigeria.

In his words; “I advise for a political solution to solve this problem by attending to the issues raised by Nnamdi Kanu. Let’s take the message and ignore the messenger. But the issue is whether the federal government actually wants total peace in the South East.

“Most persons in the presidency have carried on as if they have scores to settle with the Igbo race at home and in Diaspora. Taking Nnamdi Kanu into custody or even jailing him won’t solve the problem. Nobody knew that another Igbo would rise after Ralph Uwazuruike and his MASSOB.

“Tomorrow, there may emerge another agitator bigger than Kanu. The best solution to solve the Biafran and IPOB question is to treat the Igbo as co-owners of Nigeria.

“The Igbo isn’t asking for too much, what the Igbo need is justice and equity, but the Buhari presidency has confirmed through its utterances that the Igbo are not welcomed in Nigeria.

“There is nothing wrong if the federal government sets up a team to negotiate with IPOB and listen to their grievances. The federal government has been negotiating with insurgents; the same treatment could be extended to IPOB to achieve peace in the South East.

“Military clampdown on IPOB won’t solve the problem. There are strong evidence that the Igbo are being marginalized in Nigeria. Since Buhari came in, no Igbo can be found in the security hierarchy of Nigeria. The Igbo have been excluded from rising to certain positions as if they are slaves in Nigeria.

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“I disagree with Nnamdi Kanu’s approach but most of the issues he has raised are too valid to be ignored. What the Igbo are saying is that the President must treat every ethnicity equally. There must be no discrimination where some get 97% and others 5%. If an Igbo man and a Fulani commit the same offence, give them the same punishment; not pampering the Fulani because he is your kinsman and jailing the Igbo because you don’t like his face.

“I further advise the federal government to be cautious in the trial of the IPOB Leader. No harm must come to him. Everyone including the human rights organization and the international community are watching. The situation must be handled with care because there is already aggravated tension in the country following his arrest. It is clear that peace is gradually returning to the South East. The federal government must consolidate on this prevailing peace because if the South East burns, Nigeria boils.

“There was some level of conspiracy in Kanu’s arrest. There must be due process which I must point out was not followed in effecting his arrest. He was supposed to be accorded some respect, because he is still innocent until proven guilty by the law. It is unfortunate that a mere agitator for self determination has been arrested while Boko Haram terrorists are being set free and recruited into the security agencies.

Abia calm after Nnamdi Kanu’s re-arrest

Meanwhile, Umuahia, the hometown of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has remained calm as residents and motorists have been going about their normal duties without fear. This is the situation in Aba and Ohafia.

Despite his arraignment at the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, no member of the group has been seen protesting his arrest in the state.

Commercial activities are in full swing in three cities of the state, even as his arrest has continued to dominate discussion in the state.

Vanguard News Nigeria