Southern youth groups speak with one voice: We want Referendum now

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By Abiodun Wahab Prominent groups in Southern Nigeria have called on the United Nations, (UN) to organise a referendum to determine the future of Nigeria. The groups in a statement made available to Irohinoodua this evening called for an immediate referendum to stop possible bloodbath in the country. Some of the groups that signed the statement are the Ijaw Youth Council, (Worldwide), Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Oodua Liberation Movement, (OLM), Ohanaeze Youths, Supreme Egbesu Assembly, (SEA) the Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC) among many others. The groups represent the South West, South East and South South. The full text of the statement is released bellow: "We of Southern Nigeria Youth Coalition (SNYC) comprising of all viable ethnic nationality Youth groups in Southern Nigeria have carefully gone through the letter by the Youths of Northern Nigeria extraction (Arewa Youths) to the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo(SAN) to use his office to dismember the South Eastern part of Nigeria. We noticed that the letter by the Arewa youths listed the perceived "offenses" Ndigbo has committed within Nigeria since 1966, but failed to mention the various crimes Arewa has committed against the rest of Nigeria with the latest being the Boko Haram insurgency and the murderous activities of the Ak-47 wielding Fulani herdsmen who have been unleashing terror on Southern and Middle Belt Communities. We hereby follow with our response to the positions canvassed by them on behalf of the entire Southern Nigeria as follows: 1 We call for the immediate conduct of a referendum, not only in the South East, but in the entire Southern Nigeria to determine the future  of the Country consistent with our demand for restructuring over the years to make Nigeria a truly Federal Republic .Since the Arewa Youths have foreclosed trustful give-and-take resolution of the nationhood crisis it has there become inevitable, that a referendum has to be conducted by the United Nations, (UN) in protecting the rights of the indigenous peoples of Southern Nigeria. We say without equivocation that if any one section of the Southern part of Nigeria is forcefully excised through the on-going aggression being perpetuated by the Hausa-Fulani Oligarchy, be rest assured that every other constituent part of the Southern Region will also go their way. The Biblical injunction that stipulates that; “to your tents o Israel, what portion have we in the house of David” during the time of King Rehoboam of Israel, will hold sway. 2 We note the verbal commitment of the Arewa Youths to a peaceful conduct on the one hand,  Of the dissolution of Nigeria as we know it and say that we also do not want any bloodbath as our civilization dictates. However, let us make it clear that should they unleash violence on any Southerner in the North, we will take such an attack as being one on the entire people of the South as our elders posited in the LEKKI DECLARATION of Sunday 18th June, 2017. This will be so resisted with an equal or a stronger response. 3 We are not unaware of the large movements of Arewa people to Southern communities in recent times. .Such people are not only in the cities but are creating cells in the forests around us. We state very strongly that such people should withdraw from our communities/forests immediately, if the main objective is not to ambush our communities in the festering crisis .We shall defend our land and our people in the entire Southern Nigeria with the least provocation. 4 There have been insinuations that the recent activities of the Arewa Youths may not be unconnected with attempts by some sections of the country to prepare a fertile ground for an UNCONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE of government to avoid losing grip of Presidential Powers. We thus WARN that no inch of Southern Nigeria will come under any unconstitutional rule in whatever guise. At least, NOT in this 21st century. SIGNED.                                                SOUTH WEST                                                 (1) Olajide Odumosu Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC)         (2) Sunday Akinuoye Oodua Liberation Movement, (OLM) (3) Oluwole Suleiman        Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC)                                                        SOUTH EAST                                                                                          (1) Godwin Okey Ozonweke (2) Kelvin Okereke     (3)Chijioke Chukwunyere  SOUTH-SOUTH (1) Weri Digifa – Supreme Egbesu Assembly (2) Roland Pereotubo Oweilaemi - (IYC President Worldwide) (3) Chief Ani Esin (4) Michael Ekpo (5) Samuel Erhahon (Coalition of Edo State Youths)