Southern Leaders Gives Acting President Osinbajo 5-month Ultimatum

The Southern Leaders Forum has issued a 5-month ultimatum to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to implement the confab report and also allow the 36 states assume their status as federating units. The Sun reports that the group also called on the acting president to inform the southern zone of the federal government’s plan to protect the people on the backdrop of quit notice issued to Igbos by Arewa youths.

In attendance were the forum's president and former director general of the Department of State Security (DSS), Albert Horsfall; former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Obong Victor Attah; Afenifere chieftains, Ayo Adebanjo, Femi Okurounmu; former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe; Tony Uranta; President of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Joseph Eva; Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw and Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin.

Horsfall noted that no action has been taken against the youths that issued the ultimatum to Igbos . He said: “We are disconcerted that, up till now, no action appears to have been taken regarding the October 1 threat issued by Arewa youths. We, therefore, demand that Osinbajo inform Nigerians of what actions and steps has been taken to protect the Igbo and all Southerners who live in the North against the threats of the Arewa youths. We reiterate that any threat or action against anyone from the South will be treated as a threat or action against all Southerners.”

The forum called on the federal government to do the needful in restructuring the country. “We note with gratitude, a statement by the acting president, that the issue of restructuring will be addressed soon and we urge him to follow his statement with immediate action by acting on the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. The issue of restructuring and change was an integral part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) manifesto. “We want the 16-point agenda that was submitted by the South-South delegation, submitted in their meeting with the acting president to be acted upon immediately, to avoid youth restiveness and sustain the current peace. “There is an urgent need to restructure Nigeria to achieve true federalism.

We will not be distracted by individuals who claim ignorance of what restructuring means or those who try to imply a non-existent sinister plan to break up Nigeria because of the demand for restructuring. We affirm our commitment to the unity of Nigeria and also, insist on the urgent need to restructure Nigeria, to achieve true federalism.