The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Mr. Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday backed the non-arrest of the Arewa youths who issued a quit notice to the Igbos to leave the 19 states of Northern Nigeria.
Okechukwu said the non-arrest of Yerima Shetimma and other Arewa youths for what he called “their arrant, unpatriotic, unconstitutional and provocative quit notice” is strategic.
“Arrest and detention wittingly and unwittingly make agitators celebrities”, he declared.
He was reacting to the speech of Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo during the inauguration of 100 man advisory committee on economic and political affairs, in Enugu at the weekend to the effect that, “what remains worrisome is the incapacity of the police to make needful arrests in the situation pointing to double standards from our security forces”.http://dailypost.ng/2017/06/24/quit-notice-igbos-amounts-treason-declaration-new-state-ohanaeze-president-nwodo/
In a statement at Akpakwume Nze, Enugu State, on Sunday, Okechukwu disagreed with Nwodo that the security agencies were playing double standards by not making arrests over the quit notice.
He recalled that it was the arrest and long detention of an equally provocative, unpatriotic and unknown Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that made him a celebrity.
“His detention gave rise to the disgusting and sordid situation in the country today.
“Methinks the non-arrest of Yerima Shetima and cohorts of the Arewa Youths for their arrant, unpatriotic, unconstitutional and provocative quit notice is strategic. Strategic in the sense that more than any other factor was the arrest and long detention of harmless, but as well provocative Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which led to this sordid scenario. Detention made Kanu with no fixed address became an instant celebrity.Had Kanu not been arrested his agitation could have fizzled out unnoticed”, the VON DG said.
Asked whether he consulted the Inspector General of the Police before coming to this conclusion, Okechukwu quipped: “I didn’t consult the Inspector General of the Police or any security officer for that matter, but common sense.
“The security chiefs might have reasoned that it is better to allow the storm to boil over, instead of creating another celebrity. As time is the healer of all wounds.
“Am surprised why Chief Nnia Nwodo, our President General, who loves us, the millions of Ndigbo who live in the north more than ourselves did not worry, why Nnamdi Kanu was not rearrested after serial violation of court order.
“Is it not double standard to allow somebody who flagrantly violates court order to move about freely? If by the same token, Kanu is not rearrested, I bet you that his sponsors will thin down”, he said.
While agreeing that as the President General of Ohaneze, Chief Nwodo should be concerned on the fate of Ndigbo worldwide, Okechukwu said, “I have great and tremendous respect for Chief Nwodo and was part of his campaign against Professor Chinwike Ejike, who incidentally hails from my area.”
The DG, however, advised that in times like this, prominent people like Chief Nwodo should be more reticent, pragmatic and strategic, stressing “we have passed this road before and we know that the fault lines can be strengthened.”
He maintained that Chief Nwodo should not bother himself with unknown Arewa Youths or fringe groups in the North, but rather listen more to the likes of Emir of Katsina, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Governors Forum and the Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Okechukwu argued further: “Did you hear him talking of being in solidarity with Afenifere? Is that strategic choice among two contending Yoruba groups? Afenifere without being immodest is no more the Afenifere of yesterday.
“Does it make strategic sense being in solidarity with Afenifere, instead of the major Yoruba group, led by Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who today are quietly and smartly harvesting the silent infrastructural revolution going on under President Muhammadu Buhari.”
On the advisory economic and political affairs committee Ohaneze step up on Saturday, he said it was a welcome development, and that he would like to work with them.
He advised the committee to work with Igbo ministers and other officials especially Geofrey Onyeama of foreign ministry, Okechukwu Enelamah of trade and investment, Ben Akabueze of Budget Office and Abraham Nwankwo of Debt Management Office.
“It bothers one that Chief Nwodo seems to be playing politics with our destiny. We are marginalised, but has Chief Nwodo led Ohaneze ever found time to summon some of us to ask what our scant offices can offer Ndigbo?
“I doubt if he neither met nor replied the profound congratulatory letter President Buhari wrote to him”, he added.
He noted that there are commonalities with the terms of reference of the committee and Buhari’s projects in the South East, which includes completion of the 2nd Niger Bridge, revamping of Enugu Coal and establishment of University of ICT Campus in Enugu.
Asked if he was opposed to return of regional government and the Jonathan Confab, which bother Afenifere and Ohanaeze, Okechukwu said it did not matter whether he opposes or supports the Confab.
“The truism is that the Confab did not recommend regions, but creation of more states.
“If we join hands and demand one additional State based on equity and justice, Nigerians will listen to us, than outright secession”, he maintained.
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