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Nigeria
is a signatory to the Charter of the United Nations; Article
1 of the UN Charter states that nations, based on respect
for the principle of equal rights and fair equality of
opportunity, have the right to freely choose their
sovereignty and international political status with no
external compulsion or interference.
We
acknowledge that this universal principle does not state how
the decision is to be made, or what the outcome should be;
whether it be independence, federation, confederation,
protection, some form of autonomy or full assimilation;
which allows every signatory to the Charter, such as
Nigeria, the obligation to address the needs of the Charter
on the basis of its own peculiar circumstance.
We
make haste to add that this principle is enshrined for the
very same purpose of avoiding attrition amongst member
nations of a state; tending towards civil wars, genocide,
deaths and human rights abuses of all kinds and manners. By
virtue of this, right a nation is provided with the option
to freely determine their political status and to freely
pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
Nigeria
is a signatory to this international law and therefore owes
its union nations the obligation to abide with the law when
circumstances so demand. The current circumstance now
demands it; one in which the rights of citizens to protest
on the issue of self-determination has somehow become
illegal by fiat and brute force, which has led to summary
extra-judicial killings and charges of treason.
In
this circumstance, Nigeria must abide by its obligation
under the UN Charter and international law to approve an
orderly referendum to address the Biafra question. This is
the only way to a fair, lasting and enduring solution.
PPP
therefore calls on the Nigerian Government and the National
Assembly to, as a matter of national urgency, immediately
commence the process to organize a free and fair referendum
on the issue of Biafra. This has become necessary in order
to stem the tide of ongoing killings and bleedings in our
country.
No
union should exist under the barrels of a gun!
Signed:
Dr. Damian Uzoma Ogbonna
National Chairman |
