VOTSPON vows not to tolerate threats on Southerners living in Northern Nigeria

By Brave Dickson

An advocacy group known as the Voice of the Southern People of Nigeria (VOTSPON) has warned that it would not tolerate threats and intimidation on southerners who are living and doing business in the northern part of the country by the coalition of Northern groups.

At a world press conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, VOTSPON who described the threats by the coalition of Northern groups on Southerners as a joke taken too far said it is ready to defend the interest of the southerners in the country.

A statement issued by the Leader VOTSPON, Comrade. Ikem Anthony said: “We have carefully watched unfolding events in Nigeria and it is time to address issues accordingly and amicably. The safety of the Southern people of Nigeria is a matter of urgent attention before us now.

“We are fully aware that the coalition of Northern groups gave the federal government and Southern governors 30-day ultimatum to reverse the suspended RUGA programme initiative or face the consequences of refusal.

“These same group of miscreants referred to as the Coalition of Northern Groups issued similar threat on October 1, 2017, to the Igbos in the north to vacate and relocate from the north or face the consequences of refusal.

“As history would have it, elders and traditional rulers intervened, calling on them to suspend and leave the threat. The Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari treated the matter with levity, No arrest. No action against the miscreants. They all walked away freely.

“Suddenly in 2019, the same set of people with the name coalition of northern group resurfaces this time, as usual, issuing threats with impunity and provocative disrespect. Sadly, the Northern Elders Forum endorsed the position of the northern group and jointly issued a press release, ordering Fulani herdsmen to relocate from Southern Nigeria back to the north.

“We wish to state categorically clear here that we have never seen the northern group and the northern elders’ forum coming together to fashion out ways of helping the county to flush out killer Fulani herdsmen in the country.

“We wish to categorically state again that these people parading themselves as representative of the North do not in any way truly represent the interest of the northern masses. If they claim to represent the North, what have they done to end the issue of insurgency and poverty in the North?

“We have collectively resolved to speak against any form of intimidation or injustice fashioned against the Southern people of Nigeria. We wish to state clearly here that no amount of intimidation can be acceptable by we Southerners. We want to state categorically clear that enough is enough. And our message to the coalition of Northern groups is that nobody is a monopoly of violence. Therefore, enough is enough.”

On her part, the Convener, Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) Mrs Ann Kio Briggs urged the people of the Niger Delta Region to resist any attempt by any individual, group or government to forcefully take away what truly belongs to them.

Speaking through Mr Meshack S. Uyi, the Convener of NDSDM said: “Today, we have gathered here to state categorically that we have the right to defend ourselves, families, people, states and region in Nigeria. It is clear and obvious that war was declared on our Niger Delta people since 2010. Today, what we are left with is to defend our lives, people, states and region.

“The Fulani herdsmen and their supporters in and outside Nigeria are claiming that our ancestral God-given land is theirs. The claim of grazing right was a British initiative that died in 1960 when Nigeria got her independence. No group has the right to threaten any nationality in the country. They have no right to force us to accommodate their culture.

“We recognize no laws, except the moral and government laws. In our region, we believe in the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are, therefore, guided and believe in the bible. The second law is that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that all of us, both Christians, Muslims and everybody must obey.

“We the ethnic nationality of the Niger Delta Region must not put any political party, be it All Progressives Congress (APC) or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) above our God-given rights.”

Our correspondent reports that the theme for the world press conference was: “Restructuring of Nigeria. The only way out. A call for the return of Southerners in unsafe Northern Nigeria as regards the warning of Coalition of Northern Groups.