A group, the Coalition of Niger Delta Groups for the Rescue of Democracy has frowned at what they called spate of unconstitutional actions by President Mohammadu Buhari, saying they are threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace and security in the Niger Delta.
In a press statement which was jointly signed by the Convener, Ankio Briggs and Secretary, Karl Chinedu Uchegbu at the weekend, the group expressed pains at the actions of the President which according to them had plunged the country into the abyss of chaos, anarchy and despotism.
The panache for lasting peace, unity and tranquility among the various ethnic divides in the nation, it submitted, was the convention of an all ethnic nationalities referendum.
It said such referendum would once and for all, determine the manifest destiny of the various ethnic groups in the country.
“We are all living witnesses to the constitutional breaches of President Muhammadu Buhari, which peaked recently when he dropped all pretence to the rule of law and constitutional democracy by sacking the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen unilaterally and in flagrant violation of the constitution.
“He also swore in Tanko Mohammad as the new acting CJN, who, in turn, swore in some persons presented to him by the ruling cabal as election tribunal members immediately after being sworn in as the acting CJN”, they stated.
It regretted that these actions of the President have precipitated needless confusion in the polity, adding that they also pose threat to democracy.
The group said it was also wrong for the APC-led federal government to dole out the “Trader Money” to market women and men, stressing that the actions constitutes an act of vote buying, and has tainted the integrity of the electoral process.
“It is no longer tenable that Nigeria can continue to exist together as a united country with the way Buhari is going. Based on the crisis Buhari has plunged Nigeria into, by his unconstitutional actions, we call on all Niger Deltans to demand for an all ethnic nationalities referendum so that Nigerians will once and for all determine their manifest destiny”, the group declared.
