OPC denies statement on Planned Pro-Biafra Protest in Yorubaland says it’s not against any peaceful agitation
Biyi Ogunrinola
The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has dissociated itself from a statement purportedly written by the organisation and circulated on the Internet condemning the plan of Pro-Biafra Groups to stage protest in Lagos. The pan Yoruba Socio-cultural group said such a reckless and sensitive statement cannot be traced to OPC as led by Otunba Gani Adams.
In a statement signed by the OPC’s Director of media and publicity,Yinka Oguntimehin, and made available to NigerianEcho, he said OPC as an organisation has never issued any statement against any tribe or body over their right of association or protest as long as such a protest is peaceful and security of lives and property is assured and monitored by security agents.
“The Ibos have a population of over 35Million spread all over the world,some of them have stayed in Lagos and indeed the South West for over 40years and more,it is not the purview of OPC to deny such people their right to determine their future and membership of the country as contained in the United Nations Self Determination charter of 14 December 1960,
“when the United Nations General Assembly adopted United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) under titled Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples provided for the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples in providing an inevitable legal linkage between self-determination and its goal of decolonisation, and a postulated new international law-based right of freedom also in economic self-determination”, Oguntimehin said.
He however pointed out that even though the Ibos wouldn’t allow such to happen in their territory, OPC would not stand in the way of any peaceful agitation as long as it doesn’t run foul of the constitution of Nigeria.
“Although the Ibos do not allow Yoruba such freedom in their region as they enjoy in South West,it is not a reason to go against their decision to self determination,however if they step out of line is allowed in the constitution,the Federal Government should do the needful by making use of the security agencies.
“The position of OPC on self determination is clear as we are in support of true Federalism and Statism,but we are not in anyway against the choice of Ibos to self determination”, Oguntimehin added.
The organisation however identified the persons behind the discredited statement as former members who have been expelled from OPC.
“The said statement signed by one Shina Akinpelu on behalf of OPC should totally be disregarded because going by our record, Akinpelu is a dismissed member of the Congress years back and he has no mandate of the congress to issue any statement.
“The statement was said to have been issued from Ibadan,the world knows that the Headquaters of OPC is in Lagos,and any statement is to come from Ibadan,it would have been issued by our Oyo State Coordinator.
“We are hereby appealing to the public to remain calm and ignore such unwanted provocation from a dismissed member of OPC who is now a tool in the hand of politicians to cause disaffection between the Yorubas and Ibos”, Oguntimehin concluded.
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