South East, Yoruba, Ijaw seek to join suit
A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, adjourned hearing on the suit filed by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) seeking referendum to determine the fate of Biafra and other self-determination agitators till March 14, 2022.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case saying he could no longer entertain the hearing due to other official assignments.
Speaking to journalists after the adjournment, Spokesman of CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, noted that
CNG had sued the National Assembly and Attorney General of the Federation in June, asking the court to compel the defendants to stop the constitutional review and conduct a referendum to determine what constituted Nigeria and its population.
“We have an interesting development in which all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria have come together to agree on a peaceful decent and civilised way out of the quagmire we have found ourselves in for over 60 years.
“We believe that this time around, there is a solution, because there has never been a time a legal and civilised approached was adopted and we are happy about the development,” he said.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Sufiyanu Gambo Idris, said: “The matter is adjourned today for continuation. There are four motions and there are people, parties that have applied to join the suit. Some groups like the Ijaw, have also applied to join us.”
Speaking, lead counsel for the Igbo nation, Victor Onwaremadu, explained that Nigerians have agreed that a referendum should be conducted. Northerners have also asked the National Assembly that a referendum should be conducted.
“So, what are we waiting for? It is not mandatory that we must leave this country. If all the regions come together and say we want to have one united Nigeria, people would be happy and if they don’t want, let us part ways so that every region can develop according to their strength,” he added.
