We are planning to lobby National Assembly to formally agree to referendum – Arewa youths

Report says the coalition of northern youths will soon start lobbying members of the National Assembly to include referendum in the ongoing constitution amendments.

Arewa Youths Consultative Forum’s President, Yerima Shettima, who gave this indication in an interview with PUNCH, said the coalition would not use force to effect the quit notice it gave to the Igbo.

But he expressed confidence that the referendum would not favour the Indigenous People of Biafra’s leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, and other secessionists, saying the people of the zone would reject secession.

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The group had a few months ago told the Igbo living in the North to leave the region on or before October 1.

At a press conference in Kano on Thursday, the forum said there was no going back on the quit notice.

He had said that the Northern youths would not use force, but constitutional means to achieve their goal.

He said the forum had written the United Nations to prevail on the Federal Government to opt for referendum.

The referendum, he explained, would enable those who were desirous of leaving the federation to do so without force.

Shettima stated, “We are looking at having a referendum. It is part of our prayers to the United Nations. Our second prayer is for the UN and the international community to prevail on the Nigerian government through the National Assembly to create an exit for those who want to leave.

“We are also planning to lobby members of the National Assembly to formally agree to a referendum on Biafra. We want the Igbo to have the opportunity of voting on this issue.

“We are saying Nigeria cannot sign international treaties and not implement them. We want a constitutional amendment for referendum because it is not currently part of our constitution.”

The youth leader said he was expecting a response to the group’s letter to the United Nations.

According to him, the group will hold consultations across the North on the need for a referendum.

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