The call came yesterday as a northern group, Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), yesterday strongly opposed the calls for an interim government in Nigeria, as confirmed by the Department of State Security (DSS) last week.
Ohanaeze warned that the Igbo will never be used as sacrificial lamb again, as was the case in the 1993 general elections.
The cultural organisation urged the Director of Security Services (DSS) to apprehend the exponents of ING and ensure that they do not derail the transition process with their evil intent.
The Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, made this known in a statement he issued and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Oil prices soar as OPEC+ cut monthly output
He described the clamour for an interim arrangement of governance as unconstitutional, satanic and atrocious, adding that those behind the call “are only trying to plunge the country into avoidable political crises and make the Igbo as scapegoats as Nigerians witnessed in 1993”.
Isiguzoro maintained that the Ndigbo will participate fully in all pre-inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies of president-elect Bola Tinubu on May 29th, 2023, and cautioned those who are working behind the scene for the enthronement of an illegitimate interim government to use the courts to vent their resentments and grievances.
He said the organisation is satisfied that the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, had explored the legal options to recover their mandates by challenging the outcomes of the 2023 presidential elections in court, which he said, is better than restraining a smooth transition of power on 29th May 2023.
The Ohanaeze leader lamented that in a similar occasion in 1993, many Igbo were bullied, maimed, killed and their properties looted, saying that the proponents of an interim government are already setting the stage through systematic burning of Igbo-populated markets in Lagos (the president-elect’s state) and Borno (the vice president-elect’s), aside the promotion of hate campaigns against the Igbo.
He disclosed that Igbos are now wiser, “and we will continue to support the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, and ask him to commence the healing process tour from the South-East by incorporating the east into the Government of National Unity (GNU) by giving the President of the Senate to the people of the South-East.”
He added, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has challenged the DSS to apprehend those who are exponents of the interim government scheme and ensure that those unpatriotic elements of destruction did not derail our democracy, with evil intent to forestall the smooth transition of power from President Buhari to President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Ndigbo will never recognise any Interim Government, or be part of the evil scheme, as the clamour for an interim government is unconstitutional, satanic and atrocious, as those behind the call for the interim government are only trying to plunge the country into avoidable political crises and make the Igbo as scapegoats as Nigerians witnessed in 1993.
“Ndigbo will participate fully in all pre-inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies of the president-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29th, 2023, and caution all of those who are working behind the scenes for the enthronement of an illegitimate interim government to use the courts to vent their resentments and grievances.”
The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), yesterday said it believed that such calls were not in the best interest of the country and could lead to further instability and political uncertainty.
In a statement by its speaker, Mohammed Danlami, the group argued that there was no need for such calls because, to him, the recently concluded elections were “fair and credible’.
To him, “as a youth organisation committed to the unity and progress of Nigeria, we are deeply concerned about the recent calls for an interim government to take over from the current administration.
“We believe that such a move would be unconstitutional and could set a dangerous precedent for our democracy.
“We are of the view that since the 2023 general election was fair and credible due to the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and winners emerged, there is nothing that should warrant the calls for the formation of an Interim National Government.
“We believe that supporting the transition programme of the present government while taking advantage of the Courts to seek redress is the best way to ensure political stability and continuity in Nigeria.
“We also urge all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue and work towards finding solutions to the challenges facing our nation because it is only by working together that we can build a strong, united, and prosperous Nigeria for all.
The warning, which was contained in a statement by the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, was prompted by reports of steps being taken that may be prejudicial to the swearing-in of winners of the just-concluded elections.
Such steps included the attempts to rubbish the outcome of the said elections, especially the resuscitation of the calls for the formation of an interim government and protests or rallies being conducted especially in Abuja and the United States of America against the result of the said election.
Afenifere spokesman stated that the organisation felt so concerned about the untoward development because of how it is gaining currency in the country and even outside the shores of the land. It would be recalled that the Directorate of State Services (DSS) last week confirmed that moves were indeed on to scuttle the planned inauguration.
The DSS described those behind the move as people with ‘entrenched interests’ who are working on foisting illegality that is “totally unacceptable in a democracy and to the peace-loving Nigerians”.
Afenifere spokesman reminded those who are fanning embers of non-inauguration to be aware that the monster being courted would affect not only the Presidency to be headed by the winner of the election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“The disruption will affect all other tiers of government as well, governors at the state level, the legislatures at the national and state levels, and perhaps the local government areas.
“There is therefore the need to exercise a lot of caution. The laws of the land created avenues to seek redress when we are aggrieved. We enjoin those who may not be satisfied with the outcome of the concluded elections to seek redress through the established channels and NOT through any other means.
“It is also important to let members of the public realise that anything short of following due process, particularly in the swearing-in of winners of the just concluded elections, constitutes grave dangers for the country. This must not be accepted or encouraged at all because of its dire consequences” Ajayi counselled.
He also called on the Judiciary not to entertain cases that may be brought to derail the hard-earned civil rule and thus scuttle our democracy.
