May 17, (THEWILL) – Igbo Community in Ogun State has opposed calls for an interim government from any quarters, insisting that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, should be sworn in as president come May 29.
The community equally lauded Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for seeking redress at the tribunal over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election
It also refuted the claims that Igbos wanted to take over Yoruba land, especially Lagos, following the crisis surrounding the presidential and governorship election in the state, noting that only the land purchased, leased and rented could be occupied by them.
The President-General of Igbo Community, Ogun State, Barrister John Oguebunwa, made this known when leaders of the community visited the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba Land, Iba Gani Adams, at his Omole Estate Residence in Lagos, on Monday.
Oguebunwa, who charged the three major presidential candidates to respect the outcome of the tribunal, urged Tinubu to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, when he is sworn in as president on May 29, asking him not to tow the path of President Muhammadu Buhari on court matters.
He lamented that the problems facing Nigeria such as corruption, violence, crime, ethnic hostilities, insecurity, electoral manipulations, unemployment, threats to lives/properties, oil theft, oil subsidy controversy, and structural imbalance, to mention few, were enough to create ethnic tension in the country
He called on the President-elect to engage in restructuring the country when he is sworn in as president, saying that it is what majority of Nigerians, including groups like Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Middle Belt and PANDEF have been clamouring for over the years.
Oguebunwa, who went down the history lane of how the Igbos and Yorubas have lived peacefully since after the civil war in 1970, said both tribes share the same idea of an egalitarian society even though their approaches differ, admonished Nigerians to shun anything that could cause division among the two ethnic groups in the fall out of the last election.
He said, “The Igbo Community in Ogun State wants to make it abundantly clear that we oppose any call for an interim government. We align ourselves with the stand of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be sworn in as required by the constitution. We are equally not opposed to any aggrieved person or persons, who have legitimately approached the tribunals to seek redress.
“Without mincing words, we commend H.E Mr Peter Obi, H.E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and many others for seeking redress through constitutional means. We urge all and sundry to be ready to abide by the outcome of the pronouncements from Courts of the land. Our judiciary still remains the last hope and we cannot afford to lose confidence in the hallowed institution. We use this opportunity to call on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to carry out all the subsisting orders of the Courts, including but limited to the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, immediately after he is sworn in.
“Tinubu should not toe the line of the outgoing President Muhammed Buhari administration, whose part of legacy is disobedience of Court orders. Once again, we thank Aare for hosting us and hope that success will be achieved in the task of nation-building.
“The honest fact remains that the Igbo and the Yoruba are not at war. And the Yoruba and Igbo will never be at war. The interests are interwoven, despite the diversity. Nigeria at large cannot afford to waste the unity we have achieved so far, especially after the Civil War in 1970.
“We also support your recent call on the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to engage in the restructuring of Nigeria when he is eventually sworn in as the President. Restructuring is what majority of Nigerians across the regions had been clamoring for over the years. It is in line with the desires of Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, PANDEF, Middle Belt Forum and many other ethnic nationalities.”
