Some prominent statesmen and leaders in Nigeria have warned the international community against lending the Federal Government if Nigeria loans, stating that Nigeria is now a country with questionable sovereignty.
These Nigerians include former Military Vice President of Nigeria, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd), former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, Senator Banji Akintoye; former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Prof. Yusuf Turaki and about 124 others prominent individuals.
They had all in December 2020, jointly declared and signed a Constitutional Force Majeure (CFM) on the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.
In a recently released statement, which is coming on the backdrop of information that the Nigerian Government had just recently taken another loan, the prominent Nigerians had again stated that borrowing a “disputed project” any form of loan can only be considered an act of negligence and hence warned the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), European Union (EU), United States (U.S.), French, Chinese and British Governments against lending loans to the Nigerian government.
The statement, was made public by the Chairman of NINAS Steering Committee, Otunba Folashade Olukoya, states that: “News reaching the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) says that the Nigerian government has taken on further loans.”
The Statement further read, “Again, we remind the international community that Nigeria is now a disputed project. This was articulated in our press conference of December 16, 2020, when we declared Constitutional Force Majeure.”
“Subsequent activities as articulated at the press conferences of March 17, 2021 and April 17, 2021 emphasise that Nigeria remains a disputed project. Knowing this and lending to a disputed project can only be considered negligence.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the indigenous nations will not, and cannot be expected to repay such loans or allow their assets to be used as collateral to offset the loans.”