Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, the Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has come hard on secessionist group, the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), stressing that the Nigerian government will not yield to the demands of the group and other sister groups across the country.
The Senator who spoke without mincing words stated that the Igbos caused the civil war when they tried separating from the country. He therefore warned that if the region wants to take same route again, that the Nigerian government will have no choice than to fight them and give them what they want.
He said: “There are people who feel democracy is not good enough for them and they want to devise their own means of belonging to this entity called Nigeria and if they don’t have their wish, they’ll let Nigeria go to pieces,” he said on Channels Television.
“So is that anything that the constitution allows or encourages? So they’re absolutely outside the realm of the constitution.
“They’re just rebels, arsonists and criminals in short. So, what are we going to consider to even give them a chance to come and say their wish and let Nigeria tremble and bow before them and say ‘okay, we’ve granted you your wish.’
“Those insurgency in the Southeast, they’re all claiming that they want their own country called Biafra right? If that is the case, is it by killing people that they’ll get their country?
“They’ve tried it before, do they want us to go back to the same route? I don’t think so. But if they do, if that’s what they choose, has Nigeria got any choice?
“Will we just allow them, bow and say, ‘we’ll grant you your own wish?’ No. Nigerian government has to stand out, fight them and give them what they want.”
The South-East have been clamouring to be given the opportunity to produce the next President of the country come 2023, but Senator Bulkachuwa pointed out that politics is a game of number, adding that political parties should be allowed to present the right candidates from any zone for Nigerians to pick from.
“I believe these banditry, kidnappings, agitations and killings are all prelude to the 2023 election,” he added.
“I don’t even believe in zoning. I believe the right candidates should be fielded by all the parties and then let Nigerians choose from the best among them.
“And those who have the number, who believe in the same candidate will obviously win. Unless you don’t want that which is against the norms of democracy, then, I don’t know, you can devise your own means.
“I don’t believe zoning is democratic. I don’t believe zoning will produce the best president for this country.”