Ibrahim-Coomassie
Ibrahim Coomassie

Spokesperson of the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin has said that the Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, is deluded for thinking that a particular section of the country owns Nigeria.

He made the statement while reacting to statements credited to the former Inspector-General of Police, who on Sunday  asserted that despite the alliances of groups such as Ohaneze, Afenifere and Ijaw leaders, none of them would determine who emerges the next President of Nigeria.

He condemned the statement in strong terms, stating that it was capable of inciting unrest in a nation where some groups are already agitating about being marginalized.

“We must promote equity and fair play, and we cannot go on as usual and expect different results. This was the same Coomassie, who, as the Inspector-General of Police, detained some of us under Gen. Sani Abacha. Not too long ago, during the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan, he even made a case for Boko Haram, stating that they were protecting his section of the country. We all know better today. He should wake up and smell the coffee,” Odumakin said.

“He is deluding himself by giving the impression that his corner of the country owns Nigeria,” he added.

Also reacting to Coomassie’s statement, an Ohaneze chieftain and former governor of the old Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, berated the former police boss, saying such statements reflected the psychosis of some northern leaders who see rulership of Nigeria as their birthright.

“Such statements reflects the psychosis of superiority; they believe that Nigeria belongs to them and they make all the decisions on issues that affect Nigeria. We are all waiting for 2019 and then we will see who laughs last,” he added.

Since the emergence of Dr John Nwodo as President-General of Ohaneze, the group has held series of meetings with Afenifere and South South leaders, moves believed to be galvanising the south to enable them speak with one voice on burning issues in Nigeria now and in the future.