Scene of election violence in the North
Coalition of Oodua Self Determination Group has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, for conducting free and fair election, affirming that “the April polls were relatively free and fair by our standard.”
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, National Chairman of the group, Dayo Ogunlana, decried the violence that trailed results of some of the elections in some parts of the country.
He called on the government to set a machinery in motion to resolve some post-election issues that led to the unfortunate crises.
Ogunlana said: “Other ethnic nationalities should emulate the peaceful co-existence among the Yoruba, relate very well with either their Muslim or Christian neighbours as well as with other nationalities outside the Yoruba nation.”
He warned that “care should be taken to always prevent religious and tribal strive,” reminding that “all efforts must be made to foster true nationhood where Nigerians can own property and move freely unmolested at any part of the country.”
Ogunlana called on the relevant authorities to immortalise the innocent corps members who lost their lives while serving their fatherland during the elections,” saying “no matter how you look at it, they are martyrs”.
The COSEG boss, who explained that his group “is not only a voice for Yoruba struggle” stated “we have been reaching out to other ethnic nationalities with a view to forging a common front towards building a virile nationhood that all of us will be proud of”.
He added that “a conference of all ethnic groups in Nigeria and in the Diaspora is in the offing to address the vexatious national question.”