Former National Chairman of the then All Nigeria Peoples Party, Alhaji Yusuf Garba Ali has said that leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu “just want to be recognized.”
According to Ali, who spoke with Vanguard, the Igbos are not interested in seceding from Nigeria for any reason.
He also said that by issuing quit notice on Igbos, Arewa youths thought majority of people of the Southeast were ready to go.
Garba Ali said, “I think even the people in the south east are no longer saying that they want to secede.
“The Arewa youths also reacted based on what they thought was the decision of majority of the people of the south east.
“Kanu is still talking of Biafra but leaders from the region have told him that what they need is restructuring and not secession.
“The question of secession simply does not arise.
Despite the Boko Haram crisis in the north east, there are still Igbos living there.
“There is no part of this country you go to that you do not find another tribe settling there. How do you want to break up the country?
“I do not believe that Nigeria is going to break. What we have is people blowing hot air. Some are using it for their economic interest. They want recognition.
“There are lots of people blowing hot air just because they want to be recognized.”
