Why Biafrans Are Agitating for Self-Government - Senator Okurounmu

Posted by Thandiubani on Thu 26th Nov, 2015 - tori.ng

A former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has given reasons why the South-East are calling for a sovereign state of Biafra as he blames Buhari for the problems.

Senator Femi Okurounmu

A former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Femi Okurounmu and Chairman of the defunct Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference, has disclosed the reason for the pro-Biafran agitations and why it will continue to torment Nigeria, Punch reports.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Okurounmu also known as Baba Ijo said the agitation was as a result of the failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to implement the resolutions of the National Conference.

He said, “The National Conference had foreseen this agitation and that was why we agreed that there would be certain autonomy of the federating units.

He revealed that the conference endorsed fiscal autonomy and the devolution of powers from the centre to the federating states which if implemented will go a long way in assuaging the bitterness in the minds of the agitators.

“The problems of Nigeria lie on the issues of devolution of power and that of resource allocation. These were the problems that we set out to address but President Buhari threw away these resolutions," he said.

He also gave other reasons why the agitation has continued. He said the president's penchant for making too many northern appointments, had made some other parts of the country, especially the South-East, feel unwanted.

“He is giving most of the appointments to the North; the same people who fought against resource control. Eighty per cent of his appointees – who are not ministers – are from the North. Why wouldn’t other parts of the country feel left out?”

Indigenous People of Biafra protesting

Okuroumu also expressed his disappointment in the President's anti-corruption war pointing out that nothing has been achieved in the war since Buhari assumed office with chants of his anti-corruption crusade.

“He promised to fight corruption but we have not seen anything in the last six months. During his visit to Iran, he said some of those that looted the treasury are already returning the stolen money. Is that how to fight corruption? Is there no punishment for corruption anymore? How does one determine how much was stolen without a proper investigation and judicial processes?

“He has surrounded himself with people like Rotimi Amaechi who have been accused of corruption,” Okuroumu.