Ilana Omo Oodua, a group advocating for the secession of Yoruba people from Nigeria to form Yoruba Nation has vowed it would approach courts to stop Osun and Ekiti States 2022 Governorship.
The group in a statement signed by Maxwell Adeleye, Communications Manager to the Chairman of the group said the decision was taken by the Congress of IOO on 22nd December, 2021.
NewsWireNGR had earlier reported that the leader of the group, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, had disclosed the development in his New Year message.
The statement on Sunday also distanced the group from a New Year message released by Abuja based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, on behalf of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho.
Olajengbesi had in the New Year message quoted Igboho to have said; “
“Let it be abundantly clear that I am not at war with President Buhari, the Governors or anybody in government.
“What I want the government to do is to address the genesis of my agitation for a Yoruba Nation”.
Distancing itself, IOO said; “the general public should take note that an Osun State Politician/Abuja based Legal Practitioner, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi do not speak for Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho neither is he involved in the Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Struggle.
“For clarity purpose, the decision to boycott and do everything within the ambits of the law to stop the Osun and Ekiti States 2022 Governorship Elections was taken by the Congress of Ilana Omo Oodua on 22nd December, 2021.
“Our argument is that with a valid constitution force majure and notice of constitution grievance already declared in line with the United Nations and African Union Charters on People’s Right which Nigeria is a signatory to, the 1999 constitution which the Nigerian Government want to use to conduct the Osun and Ekiti State Elections has already been invalidated.
“Notwithstanding our position, we resolved to approach the courts within the jurisdictions of Ekiti and Osun States to put our democracy into test by demanding a declaration that there’s indeed a constitutional dispute in Nigeria and as such, the elections in Ekiti and Osun States should not be conducted, hence the basis of the declaration from Professor Banji Akintoye that “there ‘ll be no Governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti States in 2022”.
