Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi says individuals and groups agitating for Nigeria’s breakup lack the needed mandate to do so.
He stated this during an interview with journalists in Lagos as part of activities marking his second year in office.
Reacting to a question on whether the 2023 general election would hold in light of heightened secession calls, Fayemi said, “Posturing is part of politics and people will always posture and use that to gain the headline.
“Those people talking about Oduduwa Republic or Kwararafa Republic, who are they speaking for? Who gave them the mandate to speak for Yoruba? Did they consult the Yoruba people and the Yoruba people told them that they want Oduduwa Republic? If you have Oduduwa Republic, where will the capital be?
“That is just a tip of the iceberg. You can be sure that all Yoruba people are not on the same page, neither are all Jukuns or Hausa on the same page despite efforts to maintain the impression of a monolithic Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa-Fulani identity. If you bring IPOB, you will get the same feedback.
“I think the one Nigeria I want is the Nigeria that serves everybody and works for everybody. I don’t know any reasonable Nigerian who wants Nigeria to break up.”
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Fayemi said the generality of Nigerians were only after a better life and not a breakup of the nation.
“People just believe that Nigeria is not working in the way and manner it should work for them.
“So if they are agitating, I don’t think they are agitating for a break- up. They just want the powers that be to hear and listen to their pains and take some action.
“Some extremists would go in the direction of unilateral declaration of independence or secession and its within their right to do that as long as they conduct themselves within the ambit of the law, it’s a democracy, but most reasonable, most serious Nigerians don’t play this game,” Fayemi stated.