Unity of Nigeria Non Negotiable, Buhari 's Speech has ended all Agitations--Arewa

A pan-socio-political organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum in a statement on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad  Biu, said indeed the nation’s unity was not negotiable.

The northern body commended the President’s broadcast, which it said was all encompassing, especially on the unity and indivisibility of the country.

On its part, the Coalition of   Northern   Groups, which gave a notice to quit to the Igbo in the North, said it supported any move that would ensure sanity in the country.

The coalition noted that the President’s speech was a reiteration of what the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, had said “at the last Council of State meeting that he chaired.”

It said, “We are in total support of any move by government to bring about sanity in the country and to finally bring an end to all divisive agitations and separatist tendencies.”

Also, a northern elder statesman and Chairman of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, said the address by Buhari should “naturally” end the agitations for secession in parts of the country.

Yakasai said, “I also believe that the unity of this country is not negotiable. At a constitutional conference before independence, a request was made that a clause empowering regions to secede should be included in our constitution. I recall that the conference unanimously rejected that clause.

“The decision made then is binding on us even after independence. There is no singular provision for secession. The president said the National Assembly and the Council of State are the only platforms for discussing issues of this country.”