Osinbajo under fire over anti Biafra remarks

www.odogwublog.com reports that Acting President, Professor  Yemi Osinbajo, has come under fire over his recent remarks that the agitation for self determination by Biafra proponents is illegal.
He had reportedly threatened that those pushing for Nigeria's break-up risk jail.
Irked by the comment, the  Indigenous Peoples of Biafra ( IPOB) in a statement issued yesterday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said " Osinbajo as professor of law should know better that the right for self determination is guaranteed by the United Nations Charter."
IPOB expressed shock that the Acting President could make such remark on a matter that both the Nigerian and international laws vividly accommodated.
It read in part: "We  condemn unequivocally the distasteful statement credited to the acting President of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osibanjo, to the effect that Biafra agitators who through the instrumentality of IPOB are exercising their God given and inalienable right to self determination, is in violation of the provisions of the General Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
"For such a statement to escape the lips of a learned fellow like Prof. Osinbajo confirms the widely held view that African leaders lack the mental capacity and discipline to operate a constitutional democracy in a modern world.
"If the corrupt ruling class in Nigeria cannot distinguish between those rights that are sacrosanct, such as freedom of association and freedom of expression under which IPOB operates, then the entire political edifice in Nigeria is a monumental mess.
It is shocking if a professor of law cannot situate the Nigeria constitution within the context and meaning of the right to self determination as recognized in international law.
"Somebody should please draw the attention of Professor Yemi Osibanjo to the provisions of the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which Nigeria ratified and went ahead to domesticate into her local laws."
IPOB said the threat of jail by the Acting President was not enough to make it give up the struggles for Biafra restoration.
"How can a professor of law threaten jail term for those exercising their right to self determination under laws adopted and ratified by Nigeria?
" This confirms again the widely held view that legal practice in Nigeria is one almighty joke. We are challenging Prof. Osinbajo to show the whole world how, where and when IPOB committed this offence he alluded to since the inception of the current phase of the agitation.
"Nigeria must understand how ready we are to go to prison. They should build more illegal detention facilities because we cannot stop agitating for our right to self determination until the Nigerian government accepts the need for a date for referendum on the question of Biafra."
Osinbajo under fire over anti Biafra remarks Osinbajo under fire over anti Biafra remarks Reviewed by Unknown on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 Rating: 5

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