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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A multinational group, Ethnic Youth Leaders for Peace (EYLP), has supported former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, on his appeal for a political solution to the ongoing legal trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The group also dismissed the claims by Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Forum, which accused Atiku of political motives in his sincere appeals for Kanu’s release.
Responding to the claims through a statement from its National Coordinator, Rilwan Mohammed Tukur, it noted that it was clear that Northern Youth Leaders led by Murtala Gamji misunderstood Atiku’s good intentions. The group argued that if the Niger Delta militancy could be solved through political intervention by former president, the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the same political approach could be applied to Kanu’s case.
The statement read: “It has nothing to do with personal interest. If Atiku has any interest in the matter, it is only his desire for peace and stability in the country.
“Did the late President Yar’Adua not resolve the Niger Delta crisis through a political solution instead of an endless court?
“The Niger Delta is peaceful today because Yar’Adua chose dialogue over war. He released the militant leaders from detention and granted them amnesty,” the group pressed further their protest.
Reacting further, the group emphasised that it was unfair to attack Atiku for lending his voice to calls for a political solution to the litigation involving the IPOB leader.
“Contrary to Gamji’s wrong understanding of Nigeria’s problems, there are some legal issues that need political solutions for the sake of peace and stability,” the statement read. The group further argued that Atiku is a statesman, who will always support actions that bring peace to Nigeria, as the saying goes, ‘peace is better than being right.’
“Does the Northern Youth Leaders Forum have short memories? Where were they when 400 Boko Haram members were freed and enrolled into the de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme of the Federal Government?
“That programme was part of former President Buhari’s non-legal and non-military solutions to the Boko Haram problem. Why didn’t Gamji speak up then?
“Katsina State recently held talks with bandits, who have been terrorising their communities. Those affected chose dialogue because they realised that military action alone cannot solve everything. Why didn’t Gamji condemn these peace efforts?
“One cannot treat one security issue differently from another because all of them are threats to the country’s peace. The IPOB agitation is no less serious than other security challenges Nigeria faces,” the group insisted.
Faulting the attacks on Atiku, they noted, “It is, therefore, completely wrong to attack Atiku for calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu as part of efforts to find a political solution to the IPOB issue.
We cannot pretend that IPOB is not a national problem that needs quick political resolution rather than endless court battles.
“Atiku’s only interest in Kanu’s case is to help reduce tension in the South East through political dialogue instead of continued legal fights that only create more anger among the IPOB supporters.
“As a true statesman, Atiku will always support any effort aimed at achieving peace and stability in Nigeria,” the group noted in the statement.
