A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until October 20 hearing on the suit filed by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) seeking a referendum to determine the fate of Biafra and other nations agitating for self-determination.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who presided over the matter on Friday, granted all the motions to allow interested parties to be joined in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/538/2021, for the country to conduct a referendum.
Speaking to journalists after the adjournment, the lead counsel for the Igbo Nation, Victor C. Onweremadu, said that the South-east was properly joined in the suit because the court accepted the argument to join the region.
He said: “Referendum is the only thing that can bring peace in this country. The Igbo nation has been marginalised so much. There is an unjust treatment of the Igbo people in this country. The Igbo have suffered in this country.
“One of the injustices that I am always campaigning against is what is happening now. Since the coming of democracy in this country, almost every part of this country has produced a president, even ruling for eight years. The South-east is the only major tribe in Nigeria that has been denied the opportunity to rule the country,” he said.
However, the spokesperson of CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, countered Onweremadu, saying that it was the North-east that had been marginalised.
“We are the plaintiff in this matter. Contrary to be truly marginalised.
“The North-east has not had the opportunity to even field a vice president, whereas the South-east that is over agitated about marginalisation has had three opportunities for the vice-presidency. We are hoping that at the conclusion of this suit and eventual conduct of a referendum as sought in the suit, all these issues would be put to rest,” he said.
