Pro-restructuring group, the Eastern Consultative Assembly, on
Sunday berated the federal government for its decision to use "brute
force" to resolve the increasing spate of agitations in the South-east
geo-political zone.
The group faulted the launch of fresh military operation,
code named ‘Python Dance II’, which has led to the deployment of heavy military
equipment to the Southeast in obvious bid to battle the people of the zone to
submission.
In a statement
entitled: “Of Pythons, Paranoia and Prevarication’, Secretary of ECA, Elliot
Ugochukwu-Uko, said the option of a military operation even in areas where such
actions were uncalled for, instead of embarking on the reconstruction of
Nigeria for enduring peace and development is totally unacceptable.
“The blunt refusal of the sectionally-controlled government
to listen to the cries, yearning and pleas of the people to begin the
consensual reconstruction of Nigeria in order to enthrone equity peace and
progress, it’s throwing up only one option: ‘Application of brute force in
order to sustain the unjust status quo’.
“For the second time in ten months, heavy military equipment acquired
with oil proceeds are rolled into eastern Nigeria in line with the two year-old
policy to intimidate, terrorise and silence the long oppressed people of the
region, whose only sin is that together with three other zones of the country,
cries for a restructured Nigeria in order to enthrone fiscal federalism and
regional autonomy like we had in the first republic,” he said.
According to the group, the Nigerian state, with the launch
of the military operation, "has again confirmed the rumours that justice,
equity and fair play, isn't anywhere near it's mindset and that the continued
oppression and intimidation of the people of eastern Nigeria through brute
force remains her choice strategy of engaging the frustrations and anger of the
much oppressed people of the region.
“This seems to be the path the Nigerian rulers seem to
prefer. Whether this path will lead to peace and stability is another
matter.” The paranoia, prevarication and
the invasion of pythons cannot in anyway alter the resolve of our people who
are completely fed up with Nigeria as presently constituted and have wholly
resolved to stay away from Nigerian affairs, including voting in elections,
until Nigeria is restructured into a truly federal nation.”
The statement noted that the owners of Nigeria who created
36 unviable states according to their whims, and handed the rest of the
nationals a military constitution, “say they are only ready to use brute force
to sustain the unworkable unitary structure that has brought misery and sorrow
to 196 million Nigerians.
“Younger generation of easterners believes they would never
get justice in the current unitary structure where everything, including
admission cut-off mark, is deliberately skewed against them. Like the unhappy
people of Scotland, Quebec, Catalonia among others, they desire a peaceful
separation from a land that has vowed never to give them justice. “The older generation believes Nigeria could
still be salvaged through a consensual restructuring of the polity along the
lines of true federalism anchored on regional autonomy. But the owners of the
universe who deliberately took total control of the defence, intelligence and
security architecture of the country, believe that prevarication and pretenses
will hide their acute PARANOIA and phobia for truth.”
Therefore, "no amount of quit notices, hate songs,
cobra or viper dance can stop the restructuring of Nigeria, if Nigeria will
survive.
"The hubris of
the oppressor, could only lead to a direct provocation of the peaceful but
angry masses of eastern Nigeria, who continue to bear in a remarkable stoic
manner, the savagery of the Fulani herdsmen, who clearly are above the law,
while praying fervently for the much desired freedom,” it stated.
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