SAN FRANCISCO, June 28, (THEWILL) – Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has revealed that he does not believe in restructuring because the Nigerian government would not keep any of the agreements to be reached during the restructuring process.
He recalled that the Aburi Accord of 1967 was reneged upon by the Federal Government and that the 2014 National Conference was dumped until the Biafra agitation became intense and it was brought into focus.
Stressing that it is a referendum or nothing, he said, “We are going to compel the powers that be to recognise the inevitability of the referendum. Man made the law, man will change it. We will continue to deploy civil disobedience. It is not war, it is self-determination.”
Kanu stated this to newsmen on the sidelines of the gathering of over 8,000 youths and the elderly, male and female, young and old from the various groups at his Afaraukwu native home on Wednesday, to witness his appointment as the overall leader of all pro-Biafra groups.
Asked whether IPOB has formerly written to the United Nations, UN, for a referendum, Kanu replied that the best letter was continuous civil disobedience which he said serves as “handwriting on the wall for the government, they wake up to see it everyday.”
The groups were the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Biafran Revolutionary Organization, BRO, Eastern People Congress, EPC, Joint Revolutionary Council of Biafra, JRCB, Biafra Liberation Crusaders, BLC, and Salvation People of Biafra.
They resolved to now work under that umbrella as Biafran People National Council, BPNC, to speak with one voice on all issues concerning realisation of Biafra in furtherance of their quest for referendum, which they hope that will lead to the Republic of Biafra.
Rising from a closed-door meeting with Kanu, MASSOB’s Comrade Uchenna Madu, who addressed newsmen on their resolution, said the decision is to work together and speak with one voice under a central leader.
According to him, “All the groups still exist but will be speaking with one voice, in the quest for referendum.
“Distinguished members and great people of Biafra and supporters of divine mission of emancipation of the land of Biafra from the oppressing Nigeria State, we salute you, as we stand in this holy land of Biafra, in unique and brotherly gathering, to honour our own brother who distinguished himself in the self determination struggle for Biafra actualization and restoration.
“In honour of our supreme leader, Chukwu Okike Abiama and in remembrance of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, we, the people of Biafra, under the representation of all pro-Biafra groups, hereby adopt and declare our brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as the new leader of Biafra Nation, under whose leadership, through the grace of Chukwu Okike Abiama, shall the people of Biafra rest.
“Mazi Kanu’s leadership shall bring unity, peace, progress and brotherly love among the esteemed people of Biafra through the instrumentality of mutual and intimate understanding among te pro-Biafra groups”.
In his reaction, Kanu said he was humbled by the decision of the various groups and assured he would not let them down.
“I am humbled by this decision of the groups, we started together and we have all ended up together because we are sincere and purposeful. I am not in the habit of letting my friends down. That thing you said I cannot do is what I will do.
“Everybody will be carried along; if I am invited for any meeting, I will take some people along. This is a great day for Biafra, all over the world.
“We have shamed our enemies who thought we cannot come together, who thought that if when we get Biafra, we will kill ourselves; we have shamed them.”
A UN observer and a professor of Religion, Nwaimo Emma was around to witness events, said he was overwhelmed with the crowd he saw and said he would report back to the UN the true position of what he saw.
