PDP chieftain warns against separation talks

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Bode George has warned agitators for separation from the country to quit stirring trouble.

The former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP issued his warning in a release titled, "Enough of the drum beats of war".

On June 6, 2017, the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY) issued a threatening declaration to Igbos living in the north to vacate the region before October 1, 2017.

The declaration has led to increased calls from the south east and south west groups too to break the country.

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George warned that such talks will only lead to another civil war and asked for better cooperation for the sake of unity.

He said, "We must talk to each other. We must listen to each other. We must encourage an appreciation of each other's unique asset. There is no strength in disunity. There is no value in the rupturing of our national fabric.

"The last civil war which provoked millions of deaths and incalculable destruction both in physical and in the moral psyche of the survivors must never be repeated again. The American Philosopher, George Santayana told us that 'Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it'

"We must never repeat the darkness of our past. We must move forward with truth and certainty.

"There is no single nation in the history of the world that has survived two civil wars. We must stop and reflect. We must halt all these desperate agitations for mushroom ethnic colonies.

"The balkanization of our nation will not bode well for anyone. The former Yugoslavia and the defunct USSR are classic examples of ill-conceived peripheral pigmy states that can hardly survive on their own. Is this really what we want?"

He went further to condemn groups that have been the loudest on talks of separation, "There is a certain disturbing divisive temper across our nation today. Everywhere, there is an unfortunate passion of ethnic fixity. From the North to the South, there is that befuddled and reckless upsurge of ill conceived provocations towards the abyss.

"From every nook and cranny some people are hurrying and stampeding everyone else to a disruptive agitational campaign.

"From the Biafran young crusaders to the young Arewa reactive promoters of disunion and the Yoruba presumptive withdrawal into a fanciful Oduduwa republic, they are all wrong. We are all living in unpleasant economic season.

"We must all step away from the abyss. We must all sheathe our swords. Enough of this unrealistic war clamour. Enough of these provocations of national destabilization."

The PDP chieftain also commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo's intervention talks with region leaders after the heated debates of separation.

He said, "The current consultations that our government has embarked upon across the tribal divide is laudable and exemplary. But they should do more.

"They should widen the consultation efforts by inviting the formidable elders and statesmen who were active participants and managers of our Nation during the dark drama of our civil war.

“The chastening voices of General Yakubu Gowon, General Obasanjo, General T.Y. Danjuma, General Alani Akinrinade, General Alabi Isama, General IMB Haruna, General Babangida, General Abdulsalam, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Gov. Udenwa, Col. Iheanacho Rtd, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and many others on both sides of the divide at that time, will go a long way in tempering the flight of fancy of the intemperate agitators who have never heard a gunshot in anger."

After meeting with northern political and religious leaders last week, Osinbajo warned that those responsible for the ultimatum risked jail terms as they violated the country's laws.