The group stated that it is both “provocative and unacceptable.”
A Yoruba socio-cultural group, Voice of Reason (VoR) otherwise known as Ohun Agba, has condemned the clampdown on a Yoruba activist and freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho by the Muhammadu Buhari government through the Department of State Services.
The group stated that it is both “provocative and unacceptable.”
The Voice of Reason in a statement reiterated its stance on restructuring of the country, stressing that the 2023 elections based on the 1999 constitution would be a farce without restructuring.
The group in the statement sent to SaharaReporters by its Chairman, Dr Olufemi Adegoke, also accused President Muhammadu Buhari of nepotism, adding that the pattern of appointments by the President did not reflect federal character and the diversity of the country.
“Our message is to our compatriots who are occupiers of political offices under the current regime and others in the dominant parties who intend to waste resources on another bid to be favoured with crumbs i.e tickets to contest the 2023 elections. The political parties have a timeless and do-nothing agenda that is patently obvious to the blind.
“The new Electoral Act with allegedly rigged provisions that are discordant to transparency and the bizarre allocation of polling units based on rigged population numbers in the North are further inklings of what awaits those that are undiscerning. We note and warn of the advent of another Maradonic era that culminated in the debacle and destruction of the unfulfilled MKO Abiola election.
“Without the restructuring of Nigeria, the quest for another round of elections based on the 1999 constitution is a ruse of epic proportions. It will be a tragedy to be fooled once again,” part of the statement read.
The Yoruba Intelligentsia group berated the President for the insecurity in the country.
“Events happening within the South West of Nigeria have shown that the Yoruba have become an endangered species in Nigeria, a country they invested their sweat and blood to achieve independence for, in 1960. Since 1947 till date, the Yoruba have responded to the surreptitious, premeditated and relentless pursuit of dominance over all other Nigerians by a small group of Northern oligarchs, by commending to all Nigerians the virtues of collective, inclusive, self-reliant and self-governing federating units to manage our diversity as a true Federation.
“We believe that the best route to a stable and productive democratic Federation for the nation is one in which none of its federating units seeks primacy over others. The Yoruba nation is the only region of the three initial federating regions at independence that up to date has never sought secession.
“The gathering storm articulated in calls for secession among a people who hitherto accepted being in opposition, and who when presented with opportunities to be part of government at the centre insisted instead on terms that would be in the best interest of the entire nation rather than opting for the opportunism of predatory participation, is incontrovertible evidence that the Nigerian contraption as presently operated as a Unitary system is neither viable nor sustainable.
“The emergence of Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was achieved with the active collaboration of the 'Yoruba Mainstream', predicated on the covenant he made to restructure Nigeria. This was after his hitherto unprecedented losing streak in three successive presidential elections. However, after assuming office, everything has been done to decimate the Yoruba and other indigenous nations; to impede their growth and checkmate their advancement socially, politically and economically.
“It is a given that he is aware that the North has effectively given itself, through military interventions, veto power by various provisions embedded in the 1999 constitution, the false census figures and the distribution of local government boundaries across the country. The 1999 Constitution that was foisted on everyone by the military has, via that embedded veto power, subordinated the desires, aspirations and rights of the South to that of the Northern peoples. The votes of the Yoruba representatives along with those of others in the South and Middle Belt do not count on the floor of the National Assembly because of a preconceived gerrymandered lopsidedness, favouring some over the collective interests of all others.
“With the continuing unabashed implementation of the said fulanisation agenda of President Buhari's administration, these two tendencies will invariably coalesce into a unified goal for “self-government for the Yoruba Nation as soon as practicable”. We note and applaud the recent constructive articulation by another Fulani, a retired military officer, Colonel Abubakar Umar.
“Recently, the DSS executed an illegal midnight attack on the home of Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho in the Yoruba heartland that resulted in the death of two innocent citizens of Nigeria with the obvious intent to silence the renowned Yoruba freedom fighter. All right-thinking persons have condemned this descent into despotism. One can see the abysmal level to which the country has sunk. This is provocative and unacceptable to the Yoruba.
“In view of the foregoing, and in accord with the recent decision by the leaders of Niger Delta Region as conveyed by the Communique issued at the end of their June 25, 2021 meeting held at Port Harcourt, we also hereby call for a Consultative Forum of 'willing' Ethnic Nationalities to be held and concluded before October 01, 2021. The objective would be the negotiation of whatever residual relations are left between and among the peoples of Nigerian territory. The Forum should be structured to accommodate the representatives of any Nigerian nationality that is willing to attend.”