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South-East Governors Ban IPOB Activities Under Pressure From Aso Villa (Photos)
Under pressure from Aso Rock, south-east governors proscribe IPOB
South-east
governors rounded off from an emergency meeting in Enugu on Friday and
announced a ban on all the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB) in their geo-political zone.
The defence headquarters had declared IPOB “a militant terror group” earlier on Friday.
TheCable
understands that the governors were acting on a presidential directive
as a pre-condition to reduce military presence in the region.
There
were hot arguments at the meeting over the appropriateness of the
governors succumbing to a directive from Abuja, insiders informed
TheCable.
The governors had been accused of tacitly supporting IPOB.
The
launch of Operation Python Dance II has raised tension in the
south-east, leading to reported deaths in Aba, Abia state, and
disruption to economic activities.
In the communique, shared with
TheCable, the governors asked the leadership of IPOB and all other
aggrieved groups to make their positions on all national issues and
submit to the committee of governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo, and the members of
the national assembly from the zone through the chairman of the
south-east governors forum.
Legal experts told TheCable that the proscription may just be an academic exercise.
“IPOB
is not a registered organisation, has no legal basis for existence and
cannot be logically proscribed. You can only proscribe what operates
legally,” a senior advocate of Nigeria told TheCable.
THE COMMUNIQUE
COMMUNIQUÉ
ARISING FROM THE EMERGENCY MEETING OF SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS AT THE EXCO
CHAMBERS, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ENUGU, ON FRIDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
In
view of the prevailing security situation in the South East and its
attendant consequences, the South East Governors hereby resolve as
follows:
1. All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed. IPOB
and all other aggrieved groups are advised to articulate their position
on all National issues and submit to the Committee of Governors, Ohaneze
Ndigbo and National Assembly Members from the South East Zone, through
the Chairman, South East Governors Forum.
2. All Governors of South East Zone are to ensure compliance in their respective State.
3.
South East Governors Forum, Ohaneze Ndigbo and National Assembly
Members do hereby reinforce their commitment to a united and indivisible
Nigeria.
4. We also reinforce our desire for the restructuring
of Nigeria where all National issues will be discussed and amicably
settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian.
5. We reiterate our earlier position that the November 18, 2017 Governorship election in Anambra State must hold.
6.
Accordingly, we appeal to Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency,
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to please, withdraw the Military in the
South East Zone, while Police perform their traditional role of
maintaining law and order.
7. South East Governors have taken
concrete steps to protect lives and property of indigenes and
non-indigenes in the South East.
8. We are in touch with the
Northern Governors Forum, they have assured us of the safety of all our
people living in the north and we have also planned for exchange of
visits between the Governors and to re-enforce the confidence of
Nigerians in this respect.
9. In keeping with our earlier
position, we wish to assure Nigerians that full investigation is ongoing
on all allegations of killings, maiming and other unlawful conduct in
the South East Zone within this period. The Governors and the Security
agencies are in agreement that appropriate action will be taken against
anyone found culpable.
10. We advise all residents of the South
East to go about their normal businesses as Government of each State is
committed to protecting everyboby.
11. Finally, we advise our people in the South East to please be Law abiding.
Engr. Nweze Dave Umahi, FNSE, FNATE
Governor of Ebonyi State/
Chairman, South East Governors Forum
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