The Presidency says the non-inclusion of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in a recent parley with leaders from the South East was because Kanu failed to meet the criteria which include being a leader of thought or an opinion molder in the region.
The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu made the disclosure while responding to questions arising from the meeting between the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and South-East leaders.
According to him, “Well, the thing is that we were looking for leaders of the people, leaders of thought and we do not see him as a leader of thought in the east."
He added that in the future, the Presidency may have reason to engage or invite him for such engagements.
"May be opportunity will come at one time or the other for him to be engaged. But so far, what we have done is to look at people who have influence in the communities, whether it is religious, whether it is traditional, whether it is political, social or governance. These are the people we brought in for discussion.”
Ojudu further disclosed that during the meeting, issues relating to secession were never mentioned by South East leaders. He stated that the leaders only complained about issues of marginalization in the area of political appointment and police harassment.
“Nobody has tabled that in all the discussions we have had. Nobody, I can tell you. Ohanaeze came with a prepared document. They never talked about referendum. They never even talked about secession.
“They made complaints about police harassment at road blocks. They made complaints about losing some key positions, not being appointed into security positions and all those kinds of things. And these are things that can easily be addressed. Nobody canvassed secession at those meetings, nobody canvassed referendum.”
The meeting was prompted by increasing renewed call for self-determination by some elements in the South East, the Kaduna Declaration seeking to sack Igbos from the northern part of the country and the sustained agitation by Niger Delta youths on resource control.
