OPC leaders says Not Against Peaceful Pro-biafra Protests In Yoruba Land

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) on
Saturday said its attention has been
drawn to news “circulating in the
media, some with the picture of its
National Coordinator, Otunba Gani
Adams kicking against the plan of pro-
Biafra group to stage their protest in
Lagos.”
The group said that the reports were
reckless and sensitive, noting that
the statement cannot be traced to
OPC as led by Adams.
OPC Director of media and publicity,
Yinka Oguntimehin, said the group
never issued any statement against
any tribe or body over their right of
association or protest as long as such
a protest was peaceful and security
of lives and property was assured
and monitored by security agents.
“The Igbos have a population of
over 35 million spread all over the
world, some of them have stayed in
Lagos and indeed the South West
for over 40 years.
“It is not the purview of OPC to
deny such people their right to
determine their future and
membership of the country as
contained in the United Nations
Self Determination charter of 14
December 1960.
“The United Nations General
Assembly adopted General
Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV)
under titled Declaration on the
Granting of Independence to
Colonial Countries and Peoples
provided for the granting of
independence to colonial countries
and peoples in providing an
inevitable legal linkage between
self-determination and its goal of
decolonisation, and a postulated
new international law-based right
of freedom also in economic self-
determination.
“Although the Igbos do not allow
Yoruba such freedom in their
region as they enjoy in South West,
it is not a reason to go against
their decision to self
determination.
“However, if they step out of line
allowed in the constitution, the
Federal Government should do the
needful by making use of the
security agencies.
“The position of OPC on self
determination is clear as we are in
support of true Federalism and
Statism, but we are not in anyway
against the choice of Ibos to self
determination.”
The statement pointed out that one
Shina Akinpelu issued the anti-
Biafra protest, advising media
houses to shun further releases from
the name.
“Akinpelu is a dismissed member of
the Congress and he has no mandate
of the congress to issue any
statement,” it concluded.