Injustice against Igbo,reason for Biafra agitation – PDP presidential aspirant, Turaki

Injustice against Igbo, reason for Biafra agitation – PDP presidential aspirant, Turaki
. Promises to create additional state for S’East if elected

From Steve Oko, Umuahia

One of the frontline Presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has said that the endemic injustice and marginalisation against the Igbo race by the Federal Government is the reason for the incessant agitation for Biafran republic.

The Kebbi State – born Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN), who stated this Tuesday when he visited the Abia State leadership of PDP in Umuahia to canvass support for his political ambition, vowed to creat additional state for the South East to bring the zone at par with others, if elected President.

He said the first task he would perform immediately after assuming office would be to set up a committee to vacate the constitutional bottlenecks hindering the creation of states particularly equality state for the zone.

His words: ” If I am elected President, I will constitute a committee for creation of additional state for the South East. I have always asked why South East should be marginalised?

“We demand that South East should have additional state because even the North West where I come from has seven but South East only has five.

” If we are sincere as a country, the issue of additional state for the South East should not be a fight for Ndigbo alone. The issues of injustice are the reasons for the agitation for Biafra.

“If I am in a state or country where my future can not be guaranteed I will also seek self determination, and that is why people are agitating for Biafra.

” Why won’t they agitate for their own country when they are openly marginalised? There can be no peace without justice. ”

The former Minister for Labour and Productivity further said that ” the lopsidedness in Nigeria can only be handled by a senior lawyer like me”, adding that ” any law which is standing in the way of the people should be removed and replaced by the people’s constitution”.

He further promised to “look at the provisions of the law and note the huddles making state creation impossible and amend them.”

On restructuring, he said time had come for all the stakeholders in the country to sit and tell themselves the home truth, and restructure with a view to carrying all the component tribes along.

Turaki however said that in as much as he was not opposed to restructuring, those championing it should be asked exactly how they intend to go about it, arguing that there are many facets to the subject matter.

Apparently alluding to Atiku Abubakar, Turaki said : ” Those who claim to be fathers and mothers of restructuring should be asked what type of restructuring they want.

“Is it fiscal restructuring on resource control or regional basis or federating units? I believe in restructuring but we need to address injustice first. For the unity of Nigeria to continue there has to be justice for all.”

He strongly condemned the siege by the police against the Principal Officers of the Senate on Tuesday morning, describing it as a threat to democracy.

Turaki said the All Progressive Congress, APC-led Federal Government was desperate to retain power in 2019 hence its resort to suppressing the opposition using state apparatus.

” The security agents should not allow themselves to be used to derail our democracy. Why should the police block the way of the Senate President , Bukola Saraki, the third person in Nigeria? Why should the police lay siege at the home of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu? This is not democracy!

He however, hailed APC National Assembly members who defected to PDP for their courage to “return home after wandering in political wilderness”, saying APC fate had been sealed.

” APC senators are now returning home in droves. They are returning to PDP the home of democracy. Anybody who believes in democracy has no home outside PDP.”

Turaki further blasted the President Muhammmadu Buhari-led APC federal government for its failure to stop the daily killings in parts of the country by herdsmen, saying it is an indication it has woefully failed in its constitutional responsibility.

” In 2015 APC accused PDP of corruption and inability to safeguard lives and property of citizens promising to end Boko Haram in three months. But today what is happening? APC not only failed to contain Boko Haram in North East where it was confined to but allowed it to escalate with herdsmen attacks to other parts of the country.

” Today the federal government cannot say it does not know who or where those killing Nigerians are because it has the capacity to know them. Everyday they keep killing innocent citizens and collect ransom to retool themselves.

” Last week 200 soldiers were killed by Boko Haram and over 30 vehicles snatched from them yet without any trace. 100s of people get killed everyday by bandits yet no person has been arrested.

” Instead of taking 30,000 policemen to Zamfara State to fight the bandits this government took 30,000 policemen to Ekiti to rig election. There cannot be peace without justice”.

He urged Nigerians to vote out APC in 2019 and return power to PDP which he said means so well for the country.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director General of his Campaign Organisation and former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, said Turaki had the capacity, capability and the needed experience to fix Nigeria.

Responding, PDP Chairman in Abia , Chief Johnson Onuigbo, thanked Turaki for coming to the state to canvass support, assuring him that his pedigree would be seriously considered by delegates from the state at the PDP convention.

He said his vocality against the injustice against Ndigbo showed he already have understanding of the problems of Nigeria and possessed the magic wand to fix it.

End

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.

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