Besides, they contended that the uprising of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, has more to do with politics than religion.
Renowned professor of constitutional law, Itsey Sagay, pioneer National Secretary of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Francis Williams, National Coordinator of the Niger-Delta Economic Monitoring Group (NDEMG), Comrade Joseph Evah, as well as chairman of the Ijaw Media Forum, Chief Asu Beks, both blamed the nation’s structural imbalance for the Boko Haram menace, saying, time has come to discuss the very essence of Nigeria’s unity.
While the duo of Evah and Beks accused a former National Security Adviser (NSA) as the unseen hand behind the spate of bombings in the country, former Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni, called for caution, as the nation grapples with the insurgency of the dreaded Islamist sect.
Sagay said: “The insurgency of the Boko Haram menace has, again brought to the fore the inevitability of a national discourse that will discuss the myriad problems facing this nation; we cannot run away from this. Whether we like it or not, the group has made it clear that it wants the introduction of governments along Islamic injunctions across the nation. Fine, that is one of the cardinals of true federalism that some of us have fought for all the years but not the way they go about it, taking innocent lives. I think that is why some may rightly argue that their activities are more political than religion.
“But then, President Jonathan has a duty to help himself. He knows that the issue of Boko Haram is very much there with every possibility of political undertone; but is it not the same constituency, I mean the civil society, that made him president against all odds that he is fighting? He should help himself by being less controversial outside Boko Haram.”
And Evah said: “Today, it is clear that what Boko Haram wants is beyond Islamic governments in the North; we know they are after the president who they think has taken their turn to be president. Let us not deceive ourselves in this country. Boko Haram has sponsors all over the North and they include very powerful people from the region who see political power as their birthright.
Williams said: “The issue, I think, goes beyond Boko Haram; the INC had made its predictive position clear years back that until certain fundamental issues concerning the existence of Nigeria are discussed, we will be chasing shadows in trying to solve attendant problems. We must go back to the drawing board if Nigeria must remain one indivisible entity.”
Meanwhile, youth leaders of Ijaw, Igbo and those from the Middle Belt are billed to meet in Enugu next week to discuss the recurring Boko Haram crisis and other issues.
A South-South youth leader, in a telephone interview, told the Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity that delegates to the two-day conference would discuss other vital issues apart from the Boko Haram insurgency.
Meanwhile, disturbed by the incessant bombings, especially in the northern part of the country, the five South-East governors are set to convene a meeting of stakeholders from the zone in order to take a firm stand on the matter.
Arising from a meeting held at the Enugu Government House, which lasted for about three hours, the governors in the zone said within the next one week the leaders in the zone would meet and make their position known to the public.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, which was attended by Governors Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, Theodore Orji of Abia State, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State. The chairman of the forum, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, said the governors were concerned about the security situation and were ready to take a definite step on the matter.
‘We deliberated on only one thing: the security situation in the country and as it affects us in this zone and we have decided to call a meeting of the Igbo political leaders to discuss the issue, and at that time our position will be made known to the public,” Obi said.
It was, however, gathered that the meeting was not unconnected with the call by the Kano State chapter of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, which has asked the South-East governors to begin the immediate evacuation of the Ndigbo from the troubled states.
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