BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO
ONITSHA—Ndigbo Unity Forum, NUF, has said that the objection being raised by Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, against the demand by Ohanaeze Ndigbo that the federal government pay N2.6 trillion to Ndigbo as civil war reparation was sabotage against national unity.
NUF also said it was absurd that the northerners who seemed to be clamouring for national unity had always turned round to sabotage any effort geared towards achieving the much desired national unity.
In a press statement issued yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, the group said it was reprehensive for the northern delegates in the ongoing national conference to have taken it upon themselves to be a cog in the wheel of progress of the country by choosing to look at every issue that could foster the unity of the country through parochial prisms.
The group, in the statement signed by its President and Secretary-General, Augustine Chukwudum and Chinedu Onyebuchi respectively, said: “Every peace-loving and patriotic Nigerian is aware that the reparation for the civil war killings is long overdue.
“Therefore, the least we expected from the northern delegates is to keep mute instead of brazenly showing its disdain to any policy that will foster unity and progress in the country.
“We unanimously want to use this medium to reaffirm our support for payment of reparation to Ndigbo for civil war killings, as canvassed by Ohanaeze, a socio-cultural Igbo organisation.”
It, however, called on the federal government not to release the N2.6 trillion reparation fund directly to the benefitting eastern state governments whenever it was available but set up a National Intervention Fund, NIF, that should be entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring judicious use of the funds.
The group advised that it was high time every section of the country stopped thinking of only their own benefit at the detriment of others, adding that the northern delegates should discard parochial mindset whenever issues that would foster national unity in the country were raised.
