Military-IPOB Faceoff: Governor Fayose Calls For Dialogue

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State

Ayodele Fayose, the governor of Ekiti State, has once again called on the federal government to handle the agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with caution and allow leaders of the Southeast region to apply political solutions as against the use of force, which has created tension in Abia State and the entire Southeast since the military embarked on its Operation Python Dance II.

In a statement e-mailed to The Trent on Saturday, September 16, 2017, by Lere Olayinka, a spokesperson for the governor, Fayose also called the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and his followers to desist from any act capable of threatening the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians and allow dialogue to resolve their agitations.

The governor said the federal government should be reminded of how late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua handled the Niger Delta militancy with dialogue and consultations, adding that the same approach should be used to address IPOB agitations and those of others rather than military option.

The governor said; “For whatever reasons, the federal government should avoid being seen as becoming trigger happy because in every union, there will always be agitations and leaders must listen to such agitations and address them.

“I was particularly happy when Governors of the South-East states met with Nnamdi Kanu, 16 days ago and I commended the governors then and said that the federal government should allow the governors and other leaders of the region to intervene just as governors from the Northern States were allowed to peacefully address the Arewa Youths threat against Igbos living in the north.

“The federal government should therefore withdraw the military from the Southeast and encourage the peace effort of the Southeast governors so as to prevent further bloodshed and tension as being witnessed in Abia State now.”

Maintaining that Nigerians will always agitate for the restructuring of the country, Governor Fayose said; “The moment it becomes necessary for Nigerians living outside their states of origin to be assured of their safety where they reside, it should be obvious to all discerning minds that all is not well.

“For instance, here in Ekiti, we do not need to begin to assure other tribes living in the State of their safety because as a government, our actions never threatened the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians living in Ekiti State.

“Therefore, instead of trying to suppress agitations, the federal government should accede to calls for the restructuring of the country so that we can have a country that we can all call our own.”