IPOB demands referendum on Nigeria’s political future

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IPoB

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The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has called for a referendum to allow Nigerians and the various constituent peoples of the country to determine their preferred political future.

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In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group argued that the 2027 general elections alone would not resolve what it described as longstanding constitutional and political questions in Nigeria.

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IPOB said it believed a referendum would provide an opportunity for the people to express their views on the structure and future of the country through a democratic process.

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The group referred to previous referendums in other countries, including the United Kingdom, as examples of how questions concerning political arrangements could be subjected to popular decision-making.

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IPOB also cited previous statements attributed to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan on the need to address Nigeria’s political and constitutional challenges.

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According to the group, elections and referendums serve different purposes, with elections focusing on the choice of political office holders, while a referendum could allow citizens to directly decide a specific constitutional or political question.

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IPOB questioned why its demand for a referendum on self-determination should be treated differently from other calls for popular consultation on the future of a country.

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The group therefore urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to consider a peaceful and democratic process through which the various constituent peoples of Nigeria could express their preferences on the country’s political structure and future.

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It stressed that its position, as presented in the statement, was a call for a political and democratic process rather than an endorsement of violence.

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IPOB called on Nigerians to engage the issue through dialogue and other lawful democratic means.

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