Northern group accuses IPOB of planning to hijack June 12 protests
The group says it does not recognise the legitimacy of June 12 as Democracy Day in the first place.
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The group made this known at a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, June 11, 2021.
While addressing journalists on behalf of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the group’s spokesperson said it was not in their tradition to jump onto a flight without knowing its actual destination.
“We can’t drag the North into an agenda that is not properly stated and for which we are not even contacted. This is in addition to keeping the North away from the trap set by IPOB to sponsor infiltration in some northern states to turn the protests violent. In the event of any ugly incidence, the anti-North schemers would then hold the region up as the volatile section of the country.
“Another reason for our non-participation of CNG and all our affiliates and organs is the fact that we do not recognise the legitimacy of June 12 as Democracy Day in the first place, ” Sulaimon said.
Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has suspended its participation in the nationwide demonstrations planned for Saturday.
NANS president, Sunday Asefon, in a statement on Friday, said that the union would no longer take part in the protests over safety concerns, and fears that politicians would hijack it.
The Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF) has also warned those planning a nationwide protest on June 12 Democracy Day to stay away from the Southwest.
The group said the people of the Southwest region would neither support, tolerate nor join such protests, as the June 12 Democracy Day should be for celebration and not protests.
June 12 is Nigeria’s Democracy Day, and numerous civil society organisations have vowed to peacefully protest the government’s poor management of the country.
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