United States President Barack Obama has ignored Americans seeking to secede as a result of his victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the Nov. 6 presidential ballot. Even if he eventually responds to the request, Obama, who is a Democrat, will definitely not grant it, according to an expert on American history.

Yesterday, the petitioners in the state of Texas reached the threshold of 25,000 signatures necessary to elicit an official response from the US Government but has yet to receive any. Louisiana (more than 28,000 signatures at midday yesterday), and South Carolina (26,000) have also reached the required number of petitioners.

Checks this morning by News Express showed that the secession demand is not even featured on the home page of the website of the White House.

Even if Obama decides to respond to the requests, “the answer will doubtless be a big fat ‘no’,” said Dr. Tim Stanley, a historian of the United States, in a piece in the UK newspaper, Daily Telegraph.

Already, Texas Governor Rick Perry has distanced himself from the secession demand, saying he prefers the state to remain part of the US.

The White House had last year launched a “We the People” programme on its website, allowing Americans to petition their government for a redress of grievances. “Any petition that receives 25,000 or more signatures within 30 days is promised a response (though not necessarily a favorable one) from the Obama administration,” according to a Washington Post report.

Seeking to exploit the opportunity thousands of Americans, mostly from states won by Romney during last week’s presidential election, have petitioned the White House to let them secede. Petitions have so far come from 20 out of America’s 50 states.

Apart from Texas, Louisiana and South Carolina, other states with large numbers of petitioners seeking to secede include Missouri (22,000 signatures) and Alabama (more than 20,000).

•Photo: US President Barack Obama.

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