S’East, S’West, S’South, M’Belt unite on restructuring
The for the urgent restructuring of Nigeria’s current political structure reechoed yesterday at a meeting attended by elder statesmen from the South-East, South-West, South-South and the Middle-Belt. call
The meeting tagged “Handshake Across The Niger” was organized in Enugu by Nzuko Umunna and the apex Igbo socio-cultural association, OhanaezeNdigbo in alliance with the South-West, SouthSouth and Middle-Belt zones to further enhance the mutual relationships that had existed among the people of the zones to strengthen the nation’s unity.
All the speakers at the meeting emphasized the urgent need for the country’s present political structure to be re-structured to ensure proper growth and development of all the various segments.
The speakers re-stated that except the current lopsided shape of the country was restructured, it would be risky and deceptive for the country to continue as a true federation.
The meeting was attended by prominent Nigerians, including Chief Olu Falae, who was a co-chairman of the meeting, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who led the Yoruba delegation, Olusegun Mimiko, Prof Banji Akintoye, Senator Femi Okorenu, Chief Kofo Buknor-Akerele, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Prof Pat Utomi, the families of Maj-Gen Aguiyi Ironsi, and Col. Adekunle Fajuyi who were killed in the military coup of July 1966.
Others were Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, Ikedi Ohakim, Senators Chris Anyanwu, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Lady Onyeka Onwenu, Prof. Joe Irukwu, a former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, Air Commodore Idong Eket, who represented Chief Edwin Clark, among others.
Addressing the huge gathering, the leader of the Yoruba delegation, Chief Adebanjo said the meeting was a catalyst for the unity of Nigeria.
He said the West and the East were not ganging up against anybody but were only saying that the nation should operate on the agreed terms as spelt out by the founding fathers of the country who established a true federal structure that was scuttled by the military rulers.
Air Commodore Idong Eket (rtd), who represented leader of the Niger Delta people, Chief Edwin Clark, also said that Nigerians must return to the same political structure the nation’s founding fathers established before the military intervention.
A former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who led the Middle Belt delegation, spoke on their behalf.
The Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who was represented by his deputy, told the gathering that “This is the time for us to conclude that this country should be restructured”.