Northern elders under the aegis, Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), have
claimed that the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, saved President
Muhammadu Buhari from being embarrassed in court by the secessionist
group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), over its proscription and
categorisation as a terrorist group by the Nigerian government.
Barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Army pronounced IPOB a terrorist
organisation, Saraki came out to condemn the decision and labelled it
unconstitutional.
The Senate President stated that only the National Assembly, had the right to such pronouncement.
The Northern Elders have now said that there is no cause for alarm in
what Saraki said. Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Forum, Dr. Paul
Unongo who made the statement during a press conference on Thursday,
said that Saraki saved President Buhari from being embarrassed in court
for following due process towards proscribing a group in the country.
“We wish to reiterate our consistent position that there are no
issues of disagreement and demands by individuals and groups in the
country or anywhere in the world that dialogue cannot resolve.
“The NEF acknowledges that we, the citizens of Nigeria, are capable of resolving our issues internally.
“The North recognizes and acknowledges that there are demanding and legitimate questions on the current operations of the Nigerian State.
“The North has very clear ideas on all issues and positions that the
nation sees as challenges and is willing to dialogue on all of them,” he
said.
According to him, the north is not averse to negotiation, but said the region would not succumb to intimidation.
“What the North will not allow, however, is to be stampeded into
adopting an agenda and grand designs from other parts of Nigeria which
will hurt its basic interests.
“The North will demand a respectful and responsible approach to its
participation in the search for answers to the many questions
confronting our country.
“We will also insist that the Constitution and our national
institutions, such as the National Assembly be accorded due and
appropriate recognition in all initiatives and efforts towards
addressing our challenges,” Unongo stated.