NewStats: 3,259,434 , 8,170,092 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 11:55 PM 4486f

Lalasticlala

1963 Constitution, The Ideal Grundnorm – Middle Belt Ethnic Nationalities
• Going Back To 1963 Constitution Not Tenable-Arewa Youths
• Yakasai s Return To 1963 Constitution

Northern elders and youths have cautioned the Yoruba, their South East and South South neighbours over their clamour for the country’s restructuring, as well as return to the 1963 constitution.

The two groups, which vehemently opposed the recent resolution of the Yoruba at a summit tagged, “Restructuring: The Yoruba Agenda 2017,” alleged that sustained agitation for restructuring would, in the final analysis, not augur well for the growth and development of the nation.

Secretary General, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Anthony Sani, told The Guardian, yesterday, that calls for restructuring by the coalition of Yoruba groups, and those from South East and South South, as well as the return to 1960 and 1963 constitution were “puzzling.”


Arewa youths’ position was made known by President of the Arewa Youths for Progress and Development (AYPD), Comrade Danjuma Sarki, who said though “the constitution we are currently operating was hurriedly put together by the military in order for them to hand over power to civilians,” there were better ways to improve on it.

Sani said the calls were “puzzling in the sense that these are people, who profess to be jaunty face of democratic values, and who are expected to know how democracy works. I would not be tired of saying that while there are national consensus on problems of a nation, there are no similar national consensus on solutions to these problems. Hence the significance of multi-party democracy, which allows each political party to present a distinct method of solution as contained in the party’s manifesto, which it used
to canvass for electoral mandate.”

Sani argued that, “for the Yoruba to now call for restructuring of the country on the basis of the 1963 constitution, gives an impression that they do not know how to make their desires possible in a multi-party democracy.”

He maintained that, however good and laudable restructuring of the country may be, it has to be decided by Nigerians through a democratic process; no few people can make that decision on behalf of Nigerians.

“I am not sure if their restructuring is the panacea for the national malaise we are in. I say this because Nigeria practiced the confederate arrangement as symbolised by regionalism and parliamentary systems of government during the First Republic. These were abolished and supplanted by a unitary system by General Aguyi Ironsi, who felt the centre under confederation was too weak to keep the nation under one roof.”

The ACF scribe added that, “the North and the West, under Chief Awolowo decided to create a federation of 12 states, which was a compromise between confederation and the unitary system,” noting that “since then, the states multiplied to 19, 30 and now 36, while we practice presidential system of government.”

Sani, who said some of those clamouring for the rejection of the 1999 constitution that is a clone of that of 1979 participated in its making, queried how the Federal Government under 1999 constitution, prevents state governments from living to their potential?

He said: “Lagos is developing today under the 1999 constitution, and nobody has stopped them from deploying what they collect from the federation and internally generated revenue for development at their own pace. Is the Coalition of Yoruba groups claiming state governments misapply their own allocations because the sources are not from the states? This does not make sense. And can we honestly say the 52 per cent for the centre is truly too much in a country with many centres of centrifugal forces capable of putting it asunder? As far as I am concerned, there is nothing like true federalism that is universally accepted. That is why there are no two federal systems that are the same. Each federal system depends on the circumstance of its emergence…”


On how the nation can best be restructured under the present reality, the ACF Secretary General remarked: “as it is right now, the term restructuring means different things to different people. As a result, it is hard to take a position in a situation like that. And in order for Nigerians to make their informed judgment on restructuring, let political parties that wish to restructure the country include it in its manifestoes and canvass for electoral mandate needed for their implementation. I am sure when political parties campaign for their preferred model of restructuring the country, they would help to enlighten the public more about restructuring and make informed decisions during elections. That is how democracy works. It is not for the few people to meet and try to bulldoze the government into taking decisions in favour of far-reaching reforms of the polity. That course of action would not only be undemocratic, but also morally preposterous. This is more so because the current regime did not include specific type of restructuring in its manifesto.”

Sarki, the AYPD helmsman said: “To be realistic, going back to the 1963 constitution is not tenable,” adding that the country should rather review the 1963 to 1999 constitutions. If we look at issues that will promote the unity of Nigeria and propel growth in the country, that will bring everybody together and also promote the principle of inclusion.

“But, if you say that we should go back to 1963, that will be something that will be difficult to sustain. Just like the National Assembly is on the verge of amending the constitution, we can look at areas we think should be amended and make the necessary recommendations.

“The National Assembly should also take into consideration, positions that those, who elected them want. They should ensure that the interests of all regions are covered. Something that would bring about fairness, justice, equity and acceptability of the union called Nigeria. This is because most of the agitations for restructuring are borne out of the feelings of unfairness by people. We want to advise that those who are agitating for a return to the 1963 constitution should soft pedal so that we can move forward,” Sarki said.

For the Association of Middle Belt Ethnic Nationalities (ASMBEN), that the 1963 Republican Constitution was the ideal grundnorm for the country is not a novel development, what is novel, the group said is the urgency to return to it.

According to its interim chairman, Sule Kwasau, “Nigeria is hanging on a precipice and has never been divided on ethnic and religious lines as it is now. The 1999 constitution is fraught with so many anomalies, lies. The 1999 constitution is a military constitution and in making it, the powers that be were substantially from a section of the country and so the opinions of other sections of the country were never captured, as they had no representatives in the military leadership then.


“Why are some Nigerians nostalgic about the 1963 Republican Constitution as against the 1999 military constitution? It is simply because the 1999 constitution is a military constitution, but claims to be a federal constitution,” the interim leader said.

He continued: “The provisions contained therein cannot bring about even development. Again, the presidential system is very expensive, unlike the 1963 constitution, which recognises regions as federating units, with powers to do most of what is contained in the exclusive legislative list under the 1999 constitution.

The 1963 constitution also guarantees true federalism by providing for principles of derivation, which is 50 per cent for oil producing regions. It also encourages healthy competition among the diverse regions.”

Kwasau said his group, however, prefers the implementation of 2014 National Conference Report, “but if that is not possible, then a brand new constitution should be brought into existence.

“This is important because the constitutionally unrecognised six political zones of the federating units will short-change the Middle Belters because we were arbitrarily lumped with people we do not share the same culture with, eg, Southern Kaduna, Southern Kebbi, Southern Borno etc., who naturally belong to the Middle Belt. The other solution will be to create additional regions in the North to address our fears,” he said.

Meanwhile, contrary to the position of ACF, elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, has thrown his weight behind the call for a return of the 1963 constitution.
In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Yakasai, however, faulted the Ibadan meeting of the Yoruba, who called for the return of the same constitution on the premise that, the meeting failed to even understand that the 1963 constitution had only four regions not six as enunciated by the document that emanated from the meeting.

“I am speaking not on behalf of anybody, but on behalf of my humble self. As I am speaking with you now, I am 100 per cent in of the return to the 1963 constitution. We had East, Mid-West, West and Northern regions only under that constitution. Not six regions as included in the document that was ed at Ibadan meeting,” challenged Yakasai.”

He added that none of those, who attended the meeting had any mandate from his people to go and take a position on those issues that were discussed at the meeting.

“Yes, as Nigerians we are all entitled to our opinions and expressions. But you cannot represent people without their legitimate mandate. Who then mandated those people to take such decisions? Mind you, you can only have people’s mandate through popular vote, by the electorate. So, who mandated those people to take such decisions? He asked rhetorically.


“Do you know that Yoruba traditional rulers and religious leaders were not part of the organisers of that meeting? So, in that scenario how can you now come and say this position is that of the Yoruba race? It doesn’t work like this,” he said.

The presence of thugs at the meeting, Yakasai said was an indicator that the document that was produced from the meeting was “completely faulty and pre-arranged.”

On the communiqué, the elder statesman said: “You cannot raise a communique from that meeting the way it was raised. Hundreds of people cannot, in any way, reach a resolution. Mind you, a resolution is a summation of the discussions that took place during a meeting.

“When a resolution is reached, it is then that you give the resolution to a communiqué committee to come up with a communiqué. But in case of the Ibadan meeting, there was nothing like that. And because of the presence of hired thugs, nobody could raise an eyebrow there,” Yakasai alleged.

https://m.guardian.ng/news/north-cautions-yoruba-southerners-on-clamour-for-1963-constitution/

Lalasticlala. ..... BSS are not joking

GameGod:
Biafráud: Land of crime

BIAFRA SECURITY SERVICE (BSS) DRONE MONITORING ACTIVITIES IN BIAFRA LAND AND SAFE GUARDING THE LIVES OF BIAFRANS. THIS DRONE, IS ONE AMONGST SEVERAL OTHERS HOVERING ACROSS BIAFRA LAND.
NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE ALSO KEEPING TABS ON THEM.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yfXI3XZwrk

As a young afonja Muslim am not happy

ABIOLAXYZ:



Bad leadership is the problem and not even Biafra can change that.

God bless Lord Lugard
God bless Nigeria

Can you tell me the meaning of Nigeria

Nigeria has been killing her citizens since 19AD, look at the bad road.
Useless govt
Useless country
God punish lord lugard
God punish those who want to keep Nigeria one by force

Umu chineke

Balkan:
Afonjas mining their natural resources.
Resource control fully implemented. You are seeing why they are not asking for
Resource control because they are are already in control of their resources

madgoat:


I dont knw why you IPOB people are always so excited when you see ritual killings on front page. It goes to show the depth of poverty and Insanity in that ipob region.

I feel your pain

I no get talk

skul minini na them
yahoo na them
ritualist na them oo...The brown roof republic

smh

I know you have a son whom you have not set your eyes on since he was born, because of agitation. Don’t you feel for this boy; his future if something untoward happens to Him

I will sacrifice anything including my family to ensure that Biafra is restored. Any obstacle on my way will be obliterated. I’m not asking for Sokoto; I’m not asking for Kaduna, or Borno, I said this very land where my progenitors raised us; the land of our ancestors; of over 5, 000 years old, this land must be free, absolutely free, I assure you of that. The way we were before the whiteman came; had the white man not come, I would have no relationship with Sokoto, non whatsoever. The whiteman is not God, only God can create a nation, Lord Luguard is not God

timsTNA:



A common criminal that is giving you and your zombie-in-arms nightmares

Chai

NgeneUkwenu:
From the replies by the IPOB Pigs on this threads so far, We Can conclusively deduct...That IPOB Means PDP Or Biafra!

IPOB PDP at the same time saying no election in their Biafra land

Smh

And this shit make front page

They thought we are joking

Afonja can't stay a day without mentioning NK name

Some leaders from northern part of Nigeria has called on the federal government to without delay arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
According to them, the IPOB leader was granted bail on certain conditions, adding that if it was established that he had violated his bail conditions, it was up to court to decide.
Elder statesman, Yanko Yakassai said there was nothing wrong with the Federal Government’s moves to rearrest Kanu for his unguarded utterances.
He said, “Kanu is under bail with certain conditions, if those conditions were breached, it was right for the government to approach the court for decision.
“The issue is purely judicial, and the Federal Government has taken the right step to address it, and current effort by tribal lords to politicise it is unfortunate “
On his part, a member of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Senator Joseph Waku, particularly called for the immediate detention of the IPOB leader.
Waku told Vanguard that nobody was above the law, stressing that Nnamdi Kanu should not be an exception.
He said: “Did he not violate his bail conditions? He should have his bail revoked and put back in jail. Nobody is above the law. The government should demonstrate thàt it is serious.”l
Similarly, a former Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said: “Kanu was not acquitted of the charges against him; he was only released on medical grounds. And the court gave him conditions which he appears to have violated. And he has developed a penchant for making trouble.
‘’I think the government is right to have approached the court again because if Kanu is left to continue the way he is going, other groups will emulate him.


http://community.vanguardngr.com/m/discussion?id=4565467%3ATopic%3A1132557

Urchman27:
Biafra And The Criminal Hypocrisy Of The Nigerian Peacemaker.

If there is a certain group of people I dislike with every fiber of my being, it is those who perpetrate injustice against the weak and the vulnerable but there is another group I hate even more and that is those who hide under some phoney liberalism or neutrality to injustice while pretending to be the peacemakers

You see this second group of people........ fear them. Do not dine with them even with a long spoon. Infact, if the dangerous reptile known as the black Mamba were to visit you in company of these 'Nigerian peacemakers', do not hesitate to club them to death while you go clubbing with your black mamba friend.

Tell the Nigerian peacemaker about the Biafran war and the attendant tragedies and he will be like:

"But Ojukwu shouldn't have tried to break the country nah! The Igbos should have remained with their fellow Nigerians. Don't you realise we are better off as one united country"

This fake peacemaker will never talk about the unprovoked slaughtering of Igbo sons and daughters in the North which started as far back as 1945 in Jos and followed by another major pogrom in Kano in 1953 years before Nigerians even got her independence.

This morally bankrupt recession-brained Nigerian peacemaker will never blame those who killed and still kill Ojukwu's people which was what forced Ojukwu into declaring Biafra after all his effort at peace were rebuffed by the then president, Yakubu Gowon.

Hearing these 'Nigerian peacemaker' talk about the Biafran war, you'd be forgiven to think Ojukwu just woke up from a terrible dream and simply declared Biafra.

Igbos in the North were killed by northerners with state-sponsored impunity. There are recorded instances where those killing were supervised by Nigerian soldiers. And this was long before the 1966 coup even happened. There were several attempts by Ojukwu to get Gowon to take actions to protect the Igbos in the North. There were signed agreements like the one in Aburi where they all laughed, hugged and drank champagne together only for the Nigerian side to come back and jettison the agreement. They could have told Ojukwu that they needed some amendments done on the agreement if they felt they could no longer implement it but they unilaterally dumped the agreement. And the Igbo pogrom continued unabated.

The Nigerian peacemaker would pretend he doesn't know these.

When Igbos made efforts to run from the North, they were chased down to the motor park and slaughtered by northern mob and soldiers. Pregnant women had their womb cut open and their babies removed violently after being killed. These are all verifiable facts.

Those hate-induced state-sponsored killings were exactly what forced the first Nigerian Oxford product to the Nigerian army, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to declare Biafra in a bid to stop his people from going into extinction.

The Nigerian peacemaker would pretend to be unaware of this fact.

Today, almost 50 years after, thesame wave of state-sponsored killing and institutionalised marginalization of Igbos which led to the Biafran war are still rife in Nigeria and have even gone worse under President Muhammadu Buhari:

The Igbo man is being treated like "The Deplorables", demonic economic policies have been introduced specifically to ensure his business is destroyed completely. While the army is killing the unarmed IPOB and bathing survivors with acid, thesame army is busy protecting terrorist fulani herdsmen with a 1000 man military taskforce and gifting boko haram with Amnesty.

While every known rule and law has been broken in a bid to jail an Igbo son, Nnamdi Kanu, who has never killed a fly, a very powerful terrorist group (fulani herdsmen) ranked the 4th deadliest in the world is being protected by the govt and even paid a very large amount of money to stop killing innocent people and boko haram fighters jailed by the last istration are being released back into the society.

What manner of injustice is this?
What manner of people would endure this kind of grave injustices

If Nnamdi Kanu were to be a Northerner, would he still be in jail?? Would he even have been arrested in the first place??

In all of these, the Nigerian peacemaker will never blame the perpetrators of this moral tragedies, he will rather hide under some phony liberalism to the oppressors and perpetrators of these immoral acts by blaming the Igbos for asking for Biafra.

My father, the late Ogbu-Nwachima once told me that any man who would make no effort to address your grievances before asking you to make up and embrace your opponent, is more dark hearted than the one he is trying to reconcile you with.

Those so called intellectuals who said nothing when Buhari publicly flouted Justice Adeniyi Ademola's order to release Nnamdi kanu, said nothing when soldiers killed hundreds of IPOB and bathed some with acid, said nothing when an Igbo woman was gruesomely murdered in Kano and her killers set free by the govt, said nothing in the face of numerous state-sponsored murderous activities of the fulani criminals, said nothing when soldiers killed IPOB inside Ngwa high school, Aba on Feb. 9 etc but are always writing long epistles on why the Igbos should forget Biafra, those people are evil! They are more devilish than the devil himself!

I have more respect for 'Muna', my neighbour's pig than you dishonest morally bankrupt enablers of injustice!

Shame on you all!!....#Ogbu

Lalasticlala ooo
The afonja is looking for someone like NK to save them

One of the most debated issues at the moment is the clamour for the political restructuring of the country; it has become a singsong. But the debate has attracted diverse views and demands such that there appears to be no clearly defined understanding among Nigerians on what restructuring means and whether it will move the nation forward or disintegrate it.

Among the various views and demands anchored on restructuring is the agitation by some people for a return to regionalism as in the first republic arrangement of the federation. Others say what is needed is the devolution of some of the powers and roles of the federal government to the states, to shed the current unitary-like political structure and return to the practice of true federalism. Yet, for some, it is about a restructuring that would allow communities greater control over the resources in their domains. The issue has been further complicated by the rise of separatist groups agitating for a reconfiguration that will allow the break away of any part of the country desiring to do so, to chart its own destiny.

Chief Folu Olamiti was variously Editor, Sunday Tribune, Nigerian Tribune and Executive Director. He was also Media Consultant, IC. He told Daily Sun in Ibadan, Oyo State: “Against this background and the resultant mounting tension in the land, a policy advocacy group known as the Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative (YLPI), organized a non-partisan retreat of Yoruba leaders from the South-West on Thursday, June 29, 2017, at the Lead City University Conference Centre, Ibadan, to brainstorm on the issue and proffer the way forward. Tagged the Yoruba Unity Retreat, the forum was attended by distinguished and experienced statesmen, leaders of thought and eminent professionals from the South-West.

“The state of the nation address delivered by its convener, Otunba Deji Osibogun, gave an insightful background to the deliberations. He noted that the struggle for restructuring had come a long way, from the days when Nigerians wrangled over how to convene a national dialogue on it, whether sovereign or non sovereign conference, to the actual bold steps taken by the Obasanjo and Jonathan istrations to bring the people together to dialogue and fashion the way forward. He noted that the 2014 National Conference convened by Goodluck Jonathan was a major breakthrough in the struggle as it was in that conference that participants representing various ethnic nationalities, groups and instititions, agreed on the major outcomes expected from the proposed restructuring.

“Among the agreed expectations are the return to true federalism with the states as federating units and the concomitant devolution of powers, roles and resources from the centre accordingly. Osibogun called for the implementation of the 2014 National Conference recommendations before the next general elections in 2019. After a serious brainstorming session by participants, a communique was issued on the resolutions and decisions of the retreat.

‘The communique affirmed the unity of the Yoruba people in the South-West states namely Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti as well as Kogi, Kwara, Edo and Delta states. and pledged the commitment of the Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative and the Yoruba race in general to the unity and continued territorial integrity of Nigeria. “The communique, however, strongly stated that the Yoruba people insist that in view of the economic and political challenges facing the Nigerian nation, the political restructuring of the nation had become imperative and overdue, requiring a return to the practice of true federalism, devolution of power, more resources to states and local governments with a view to maximizing the advantages of each constituent unit of the federation.

“It is significant that the position adopted by Yoruba leaders at the retreat has become the popular stance of numerous leaders and groups across the country including the Afenifere from the South-West, Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders from the South -East, leaders from the South-South as well as the Southern leaders Forum and also the Southern and Middle belt Forum. Although the North is yet to take a formal a position as it awaits the report of an advisory committee, some of its notable leaders such as former President Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice President Abubakar Atiku have strongly endorsed restructuring.

“In fact, Atiku insists that not only is restructuring necessary, it is feasible and some aspects of it such as the devolution of some roles and responsibilities of the Federal Government to states can be achieved without constitutional amendments. From all indications, a national consensus already points to the necessity for a political restructuring of the country and it appears that the easiest way to go about it is to implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. But as of now, that option is still elusive given the reluctance or cautious approach of the present Buhari istration to the issue. Another set back is the rejection of devolution of power by the upper chamber of the national assembly while voting recently on constitutional amendments.

“It is not yet clear whether the committee set up by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on restructuring will be able to recognize the demand as a very serious concern of the people of Nigeria at the moment and therefore convince the istration to address it accordingly. What is however clear is that the struggle for restructuring can no longer be wished away, nor suppressed nor ignored. The earlier it was addressed, the better.

“Ahead of the proposed restructuring, Yoruba leaders, in the communique released, also urged the states of the federation to realize that for the devolution of power and resources to translate to positive change in the lives of the people, state governors must invent new initiatives of providing better governance, management of resources and service delivery.

“In this regard, the leaders urged the governors of the South-West states to set up think-tanks and develop achievable programmes tailored to the developmental needs of their states while also integrating with their counterparts within the region to effectively address matters of common interest and concern.

“The governors of the South-West states were also advised to begin to harness the various potentials of their states, especially in agriculture, including reviving the Awolowo-era Farm Settlements, to boost food and cash crop production towards achieving food sufficiency, sustainable foreign earnings from cash crop produce and mass employment opportunities for the youths. Agriculture was once the major sustainer of the economy of the region during the first republic. As of today, agriculture is still a major sustainer of the economies of many countries, including the United States despite its technological advancement.



“For example, Ohio State in the United States s for a large volume of trade between the country and China with a single crop soybeans, which it exports in millions of tonnes to the hugely populated Asian country for the production of animal feed. It is the belief of the YLPI that the South-West states do not need to depend on federal allocations for their sustenance. For instance, they can develop their vast agricultural potentials such as cocoa, rice, cassava and even yam (which is used to produce pharmaceutical starch) as well as natural and other resources to sustainably develop their states.

“In actual fact, no part of the country is poor. Every part has various agricultural, natural and other potentials that can be exploited to sustain its development. The practice of true federalism empowers the federating states to harness these resources and apply them to the areas of need, which may vary from state to state. This is what the nation needs now.

“In carrying this agitation for restructuring forward over 100 Yoruba groups have decided for a summit at Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan, on September 7, 2017, to work out a common front to address the issue. To me the YLPI summit communique should be taken as a template at this summit, there is little or nothing to add to it.

http://sunnewsonline.com/restructuring-100-yoruba-groups-meet-in-ibadan/

NgeneUkwenu:
I am just waiting for the resumption of the courts! Kanu has bitten more than he can Chew!

I feel ur pain

those igbo fools who blive in one niger-area should come and read this

if we dnt free ourselves now, our children will never forgive us

Lalasticlala. Oooo

By Eric Patrick,
First Republic Minister of Aviation has charged the Federal Government to conduct a plebiscite to enable the Igbos decided if they want to be part of Nigeria or not.

He said it does not make any sense under the existing circ***tances to threaten re-arresting the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Igbos, he said, are obviously tired of being part of the Nigerian federation and want to leave.

The former aviation boss was responding to question on the call for a restructuring of Nigeria and the threat by the Federal Government to crack down on Nnamdi kanu and IPOB.
He said: ”If I wake up and say, I would go and blow up Aso Rock, would I be arrested, or when I march to Aso Rock fully armed? Why the focus on Nnamdi Kanu, what of the other Arewa yoths who are committing similar or more grievous offences? What has been done to them? If Kanu breaks the law, let him be punished, not when he is unarmed and just making statement that his people are not being treated fairly.
What Kanu is saying is that Igbo want to go, if you don’t agree with him, put it to plebiscite. That is how it has been done in other places.
Scotland said it wanted to leave United Kingdom, and they put it to plebiscite, majority said they didn’t want to go away.
I don’t see why it should be different in Nigeria. Plebiscite does not amount to war.

In America, since Donald Trump came to power, two states have expressed the desire to quit US, has anybody killed them? The only thing is that when the demand becomes serious, the government will give the opportunity for the people to decide.
What has been done to the Arewa youth who said their leaders were the ones who asked them to issue the quit notice? Yes, we know who is sending them to do what they are doing, the politicians are behind them and we are not deceived.
What of those behind the anti-Igbo songs, what has the government done to them? What efforts have the security agencies made to bring them to book?, he queried.

http://community.vanguardngr.com/m/discussion?id=4565467%3ATopic%3A1132731

VP, IGP, COAS wil all riot in jail

you afonja can nw jump in lagoon

Benekruku:
Poverty in the land!


See jobless lots!


No wonder there elites dont want to get them learned, civilized and exposed, so they remain a tool.

Authorities in Catalonia, lawmakers from the ruling, pro-independence coalition in the northeastern region unveiled a bill that lays out the steps to split from Spain.

The bill “provides a legal framework for the period immediately after” a possible victory of the “yes” side in the referendum, said Lluis Corominas, head of the parliamentary group of the “Together for Yes” coalition.

It will be approved next month by Catalonia’s majority separatist parliament, and automatically applied if the “yes” vote wins.


Catalonia, a wealthy region of 7.5 million inhabitants with its own language and customs, has long demanded greater autonomy.

For years separatist politicians in the region have tried to win approval from Spain’s central government to hold a vote similar to Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum from Britain — which was approved by London — and resulted in a “no” vote.

But Madrid has remained steadfast in its opposition to such a vote, considering it a threat to Spain’s unity.

The Constitutional Court has warned Catalonia’s elected officials that they will face legal consequences if they take any steps towards holding such a vote.

But they have pressed ahead undeterred.

Among other things, the bill states that if the “yes” side wins, “Catalonia has all sovereignty rights… where its continental platform and exclusive economic zone are concerned.”

This it defines as all of its land territory including the subsoil, its own waters “including the seabed and subsoil” and the region’s airspace.

Asked how it would take control of its borders given Madrid’s rejection of a referendum it deems illegal, Corominas and other separatist lawmakers present at the press conference were unable to give further details.

If the “no” wins, though, fresh regional elections will be held, they said.

Catalans are divided over the issue of independence, with 41.1 percent in favour and 49.4 percent against, according to the last government poll.

A large majority, however, wants a referendum to take place to settle the matter.

AFP

http://punchng.com/catalan-separatists-to-take-border-control-if-win-referendum/

Is too late to go back