A coalition of northern youth groups says it is set to review its position on the October 1 quit notice ultimatum given to Igbos.
In an interview with Channels Television in Kaduna, President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima said the decision to review the ultimatum is for the interest of peace and unity of the country.
He added that the intervention of some notable Igbo leaders showed that the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) does not speak for the entire Igbos.
“After the June Kaduna declaration, a lot had happened. The silence on the part of the south east governors actually prompted a lot of things that gave birth to the June declaration. Having seen a lot of things going on as regards to governors having meetings to dissociate themselves from that IPOB, believing in Nigeria and also organisations such as the Ohanezes and the Ohaneze Youth Council and other prominent Nigerians from that same axis, gave us reasons to begin to think of reviewing our positions.
“But then, officially, we have not sat down to conclude plans on reviewing the position of things. I hope very soon, we will sit down and also review the situation that will make our position very clear on our position on what we felt about the whole thing.
“To those who believe in Nigeria, they should remain calm, there is no problem but to those who felt they want a republic of their own please they should not drag the north into that mess because we strongly believe in Nigeria. They should go back to their area since they believe they want to go out of Nigeria and they want to form a republic of their own. They cannot build another nation, in the midst of a nation that exists,” he stressed.
