The fierce critic and former Nigerian Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Thursday, challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to either allow the restructuring of Nigeria or have the masses do it by force.
He spoke at a summit, ‘Handshake Across the Niger’ organized by Nzuko Umunna in collaboration with Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
DAILY POST reports that the event was attended by leaders from the South-East, South-West, South-South and the Middle Belt.
The outspoken Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, whose speech generated intermittent applause from participants at the event, lambasted the Federal Government for quickly labeling IPOB members as terrorists, but failing to do so against herdsmen who had brought sorrow to the door step of many Nigerians.
“This is a great gathering; long over-due, should have happened many years ago and is the beginning of good things. We must focus on the issues and stop dragging and trying to be politically correct.
“In this nation today, there are slaves and there are masters; unfortunately for us, those that see themselves as masters for one reason or the other, see the rest of us as slaves. One thing we must do is to come together, because we have never been slaves, we are not slaves and can never be slaves.
“The suffering of the people of the South-East is too much; it is something that we, the rest of the people of Nigeria, have to apologize to you for; you lost almost 2 million people during the civil war, these included over 1 million children.”
He also added that several Igbo military officers were also killed, followed by that of Fajuyi and Aguiyi Ironsi.
He added, “after that, year after year, they are still killing, slaughtering Igbos and other southerners, as well as the middle Belt.
“I am glad Governor Jang is here; he has spoken so well; their people have suffered so much, if not more than the South-East, because everything has been taken away from them; their identity, their land, and they are still being killed.
“Yesterday was Benue, today it is Taraba. Let me say this, what has happened in the South-East in the last one year, with regards to the IPOB is so reprehensible; it is unacceptable; it s archaic; and as I speak with you today, I restate that I’m a friend to Nnamdi Kanu and I will never forget him;
“I am telling Buhari and the military today; tell us what has happened to him; if you have killed him, tell us, if you have buried him tell us.
“We are not afraid, we have been killed before, they are still killing us; Abiola was killed, his wife was killed, many have been jailed, all along.
“But let me say this, the time of reckoning has finally arrived; once the strength of the Igbos and the strength of the Yorubas have come together, the time of reckoning has arrived.
“We declare here today that the Federal Government should ban the Miyeti Allah and declare them as terrorists. The Government should recognize the right of the people of the South-East, South-South and the Middle Belt. As long as we stand together, nothing can stop us.
“The blood we are shedding has attracted God’s wrath upon Nigeria. Those doing this if you think they will change, they won’t change. But let me say this, the time for that change has already come.
“I’m so proud of the organizers, I’m so proud of our leaders, Chief Olu Falae is here; I’m so proud of Adebanjo, these are strong men, they are living to see the beginning of the end to this oppression.”
He equally touched on the recent encounter between business mogul, Innocent Chukwuma, the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Motors, accusing the current Federal Government of trying to crush Igbo businessmen.
“They are facing all these simply because they come from the South-East, all these will end from today; we have no fear; they can kill us, they have killed our wives and children before.
“We are ready to do it by force; if there will be no restructuring, let there be no Nigeria”, he vowed.