A concerned Igbo group, the Igbo National Union-Worldwide, INU-W, has flayed the Nigerian government for supporting the call for the political recognition of Palestinian State by the United Nations during the 80th UN General Assembly, UNGA’80 in New York.
The pressure group said the speech made by Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, who stood in for President Bola Tinubu, at UNGA’80, was out of place, as several persons are languishing in prisons in Nigeria because of their civil agitations for self independence.
INU-W in a press release signed and made available to the media through its Admin Secretary, Mazi Austin-Mary Ndukwu, explained that the call was very belittling and uncalled for, given that Nigeria does not believe in self independence even though the clause for self determination is respectively embedded in the UN and Nigeria constitutions.
“Among issues raised were for Africa to have a slot as a permanent member of the Security Council and also the recognition of Palestine as an independent States. It is on these two vexing issues that Igbo National Union World-wide is worried about.
“INU-W worries stemmed from the high rate of insecurity bedeviling the continent of Africa and Nigeria in particular. Wars, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and abduction for ransom, among others, cannot guarantee a seat for Africa, specifically Nigeria at the UN.” the release stated.
The Admin Secretary of the group asserted that Nigeria with the highest rate of insecurity, criminality and corruption prevalent in almost all the 36 states and FCT, does not have the moral justification and capacity to be admitted into the Security Council as a permanent member.
“Charity they say, begins at home. Nigeria must first fix the insecurity issues in her county which have taken the lives of a larger chunk of her population and wanton destruction of property and public infrastructure.
“The most significant and symbolic item presented by Nigeria at the meeting was her tacit recognition of a Palestine States. Therefore, the question being asked by Igbo National Union World-wide is; did Nigeria take such a step on the basis that it saw other countries doing it or that it suddenly recognized the importance of freedom for indigenous peoples?” the group asked.
Ndukwu described the call for recognition of Palestinian State as an individual decision taken by the Vice President in solidarity with his Muslim brothers?
He hinted that it is a game of double standard for Nigeria to wake up overnight and begin championing the freedom of indigenous peoples outside Africa while several groups agitating for self determination are made to languish in various correctional facilities and police cells in the country.
The group advised Tinibu’s led administration to purge itself from what they described as hypocrisy by releasing all prisoners of conscience.
Supporting Palestine at UN while Nigeria burns hypocritical – Igbo group to Tinubu, Shettima