The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being non-chalant over agitations for secession across the country.

Secretary-General, Yoruba Elders in the Diaspora, Chief Kunle Olajide, said Buhari’s silence, coupled with poverty and hopelessness in the country, was responsible for agitation in the country.

Olajide, who spoke in Osogbo, yesterday, said without a new constitution that would devolve powers and take into consideration the economic realities of the people and their peculiar ways of life, Nigeria might soon cease to exist.

He said the YCE would prefer that Nigeria remains one but that could only happen with a new constitution, eradication of bicameral legislature and devolving of power to the 36 federating units.

He expressed worry that some governors and ministers do not have the courage to tell the President the truth about the pains citizens are passing through, adding that “they don’t have the powers the citizens think they have.”

He said: “I am not surprised that secession agitation is gaining momentum in Yorubaland because the reasons are obvious. Number one, the central government is completely silent. Mute! It’s not responding; they are not giving us hope. The situation is getting worse and we have a President who is not addressing us.

I am beginning to wonder if President Buhari does not prefer the dissolution of this country. Perhaps, he wants to preside over the dissolution as chairman or wants to be the last president Nigeria ever had because he is completely insensitive. So, that’s the reason the shouts are getting louder.”

“Progressively, majority of Nigerians are getting impoverished and the inflation rate has risen to over 90 per cent.

“For us in the council of elders, we do not have much time to be in Nigeria but when you are talking about youths, the ‘Igbohos’ in their early 30s and 40s and their future are unpredictable. They are in a state of hopelessness. You must expect them to continue to consider different options but those of us who have had the privilege of seeing a better Nigeria before, we know that Nigeria can be managed in a much better way.

“There is injustice in this system and where you have injustice, there will be no peace. So, we don’t object to our youths whose future is at stake. They are exploring the other options.

But we will continue to shout on top of our voice for the entire world to hear that we can’t succeed with this system. Some governors, ministers don’t have the courage to tell the President the truth about the pains citizens are passing through. They don’t have powers. I can challenge them; it’s my profession and I know what I am talking about.

“The system is unfair and unjust. To the best of my knowledge, I don’t think I have seen a more nepotistic administration than this one in my life. No one is caring about anybody. It’s only true federalism that can salvage this country.”

-Sun