The President-General of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, has urged pro-Biafra groups to intensify their demand for a referendum on the future of Nigeria, following controversial remarks attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Jingir.
Speaking at a press briefing in Owerri on August 12, 2026, Igboayaka said Jingir’s reported justification of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima should not be dismissed as a mere political statement.
He described the cleric’s position as evidence of what he called an attempt by Islamic extremists to establish religious dominance across Nigeria.
According to Igboayaka, Jingir’s remarks have strengthened the argument for a referendum, particularly among groups advocating the restoration of Biafra.
He said Ndigbo should view the development as further justification for seeking a peaceful political solution to Nigeria’s longstanding religious and ethnic tensions.
Igboayaka specifically called on pro-Biafra groups, including IPOB, MASSOB, Eastern Peoples Congress, Movement of Biafra in Nigeria, Revolution Council of Biafra and other organisations, to intensify their campaigns for a referendum on self-determination.
He argued that if any section of the country believes Nigeria should operate as a Muslim country, while other Nigerians reject such an arrangement, the solution should be a peaceful referendum rather than continued conflict.
Igboayaka also recalled a statement he made in January 2026, in which he urged Ndigbo to prepare for what he described as their eventual exit from Nigeria.
He said the latest controversy had reinforced his belief that Nigeria’s political structure is increasingly difficult to reconcile because of religious and ethnic divisions.
The Ohanaeze youth leader further criticised what he described as the Federal Government’s silence over Jingir’s alleged remarks, arguing that authorities should publicly address statements capable of deepening religious tension.
He maintained that a referendum or plebiscite remains, in his view, the most viable peaceful option for addressing Nigeria’s political and religious disagreements.
Igboayaka consequently called on Nigerians and groups uncomfortable with the reported remarks to begin advocating for a referendum, warning that unresolved religious tensions could further worsen insecurity and communal violence.
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