WHY I'M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE - AREWA YOUTH PRESIDENT, YERIMA SHETTIMA

The president of the Arewa Youth Advisory Forum, AYCF, Shettima Yerima, argued that the statement issued by the Northern Group Coalition on Tuesday asking the Igbo to leave the North was to help them reach their Biafra faster .

Yerima added that he had no excuses for the publication of the notice of dismissal which received so many convictions from all over the country.

In an interview with Punch, the youth leader argued that he did nothing wrong in trying to help the people of Igbo to have their country much needed.

He said, "Excuse me for what, and what part of the statement are you referring to?" The Coalition of Northern Groups, after extensive consultation, had a position regarding the disposition of the Biafra indigenous peoples.

"Our position is very clear: we intend to help the Igbo get the international attention they want so they can leave Nigeria in peace.


"We have never advocated violence or attempts to incite people from the North or any other part of the country to engage in violence against a tribe.

Asked why they issued the ultimatum for three months, he explained: "Yes, because by then they would have had a referendum to decide whether they want to be part of Nigeria or they want to have an independent nation.

"If, after three months, they managed to get a referendum to have an independent state of Biafra, what business do they have in the north again?

"They should go back to their Biafra, we did not ask them to leave, they said they wanted to leave, they asked their own independent nation and we said," Okay, we'll help you. "

"I should add that the silence of the Igbo in the North regarding IPOB's call for a Biafra state indicates that they are in favor of agitation - this is what we call ab initio, as Conspiracy of silence.

"They have agreed to have their own nation, so they should go - IPOB speaks for them, otherwise they would have meant," No, IPOB does not represent us, we do not want to be part of Biafra Called by IPOB. '

"They did not say that, but we are all living witnesses to Biafran's agitation." Everyone wants to leave Nigeria but nobody moves, so it clearly means that they (Igbo in the North) are In agreement with them (IPOB).

"It is not our intention or our intention to push them out of the North by force - no, it is not our intention, we will not do it, we encourage them only to leave. Decided to be part of an independent state of Biafran, why do they lose the time to live in the lands of others?

"They should go to their area if they want to go, we will help them leave, they should leave, but if they vote at the end of the referendum to stay in Nigeria, we are ready to get them back.

"Our statement is in no way a call for violence, but as far as education and guidance are concerned, as northern youth, we are not prone to violence, we believe in the peaceful settlement of conflicts .

"We will continue to assist them to the extent that their voices are heard in the international community. We will help them to ensure that the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the United Nations and Other international organizations.

"There was a referendum in the UK, was there a bloodshed there?" In essence, what we are saying is that if the Easterners want a Biafra state, the federal government should Give what they want.

"Is it too much?" "We insist that the federal government hold a referendum to choose whether to stay in Nigeria or not, let them vote for or against it."