OPINION : Majority Of Nigerians Want To Stay With Nigeria - Sheikh Gumi

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has criticized the people yearning for Biafra and Oduduwa Republics.<br />In an interview with BBC Pidgin on Saturday, the Islamic cleric, who compared the agitators to the Boko Haram terrorists, described them as “miscreants”.<br /><br />He said those agitating for Biafra and Oduduwa Republics are not different from the Boko Haram sect terrorists in the North.<br /><br />The cleric said that the majority of Nigerians want a united nation where peace and equity abound and not a country divided along ethnic and religious lines<br /><br />He said: “I usually give an example of General Murtala Mohammed, the former head of state from Kano that was assassinated by Buka Suka Dimka-led group. He married a Yoruba wife. So, where do you want his children to go if the nation is divided? Are they going to be with the Yorubas or Hausas in the North?<br /><br />“Look, let’s forget these useless youths. They’re no more different from these herdsmen. These people agitating for Ododuwa, Biafra or Arewa are all the same group of people with Boko Haram.<br /><br />“Majority of Nigerians want to stay with Nigeria. And if they are in doubt, lets make a referendum. Look at elections for instance, millions of votes from all the states, whether from APC or PDP. This means that Nigerians are ready to stay with a united Nigeria. That is an indirect referendum which shows that the people are ready.<br /><br /><br />“So, all these youths that are making noise, whether Abubakar Shekau of Boko Haram, Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB and their Ododuwa counterpart, they are just a tiny minority of Nigerians using ethnic, archaic and retrogressive sentiments to destabilise the nation.<br /><br />“But l can vouch that Nigerians really want to stay together in peace. But in peace and equity. Not any segment of Nigeria is cheated.”<br /><br />Gumi said the fact that Yoruba and Igbo leaders did not endorse such calls for secession showed they are unpopular opinions championed by few disgruntled persons.<br /><br /><br />“I’m in Sokoto now, th