The Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, has faulted verbal attacks on Ndigbo over their voting partern in the March 28 presidential elections.
IYM in a statement on Wednesday said, “the 2015 election have come and gone, but the spate of abuses poured on the great Igbo nation by all sorts of characters, from all quarters is both annoying and eye opening”.
In the statement signed by. Evang. Elliot Uko, Founder, Igbo Youth Movement and leader, South East Self Determination Coalition, he said “some blamed us for not abandoning Jonathan, others blamed us for not flowing with the band wagon. They mocked Ndigbo to no end, assuring us that the south east has surely lost out completely in National Assembly leadership. Many assured us, we will be sidelined, oppressed and afflicted. All expected Ndigbo to switch sides and pursue solely political accommodation of any sort without convictions. What a great pity?
“Surprisingly, so many pretended they have conveniently forgotten where Ndigbo stand in the debate for a successful Nigeria.
“Ndigbo stand for a restructured Nigeria anchored on true federalism, based on regional autonomy. They told the world so 48 years ago at Aburi, Ghana, they echoed it at Gen Abacha’s constitutional conference 20 years ago. They reaffirmed it at the 2014 confab, because we truly want Nigeria to survive.
“Our voting pattern is synonymous with our conviction; that only true federalism will take us to the Promised Land. Yes, we all know that the political class is dominated by hypocrites and crass opportunists, who will decamp and join Boko Haram tomorrow if (God forbid) Abubaker Shekau seizes central power tomorrow. These politicians who do not believe in anything except their pockets, will shamelessly and gleefully announce that Abubaker Shekau is the saviour Nigeria needs, just like they did 17 years ago at the 2 million man rally in Abuja. Men without honour. Apostles of any government in power. These leaches and vultures who dominate the political space cannot take away the core values and beliefs of a people, no matter how much they tried”.
He added that “Ndigbo believe in a restructured Nigeria, where no man is oppressed, where the unjust containment of Ndigbo in 5 states is removed, where all are equal, where no section is born to rule.
“Mocking us, abusing us and telling us we will be punished by the next government, probably vindicates our vote pattern and reminds the younger generation of the task to sustain the struggle for freedom from internal domination.
“The joke really is on our compatriots who promise to wage a war of attrition and pursue a scorched earth policy towards Ndigbo. They probably do not know that we are used to all that already. Neither do they understand, that amongst the fruits marginalization and oppression bears, is the production of a next generation of liberators and warriors. The struggle has just began.
“Finally, for those who are celebrating the seizure of central power under this unworkable unitary structure, we ask them to please respect us, our views and our beliefs. It is a pity, if they still do not understand the urgency to restructure Nigeria. It is a tragedy, if the fact that only a restructured Nigeria can fly, is completely lost on them. The multi religious, 180 man strong country of over 250 tongues, has just entered an important stage in the search for true nationhood. The months and years ahead, are truly pregnant. But we insist that our views must be respected. End of discussion”.
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