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Igbo Leaders Call for Implementation of Confab Report, Restructuring

Igbo leaders yesterday affirmed support for the implementation of the report of the 2014 national conference and restructuring of the country on the basis of fairness and equity to check rising agitations threatening the unity of the nation, The Guardian reports.

The leaders urged the Federal Government to set up structures that would enable the implementation of the report within a reasonable time frame.

Rising from a meeting in Enugu last night attended by the five governors of the southeast, members of the National Assembly, Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders, religious leaders and selected Igbo leaders of thought on the state of the nation, Ndigbo stated that the socio-political situation of the country has assumed a worrisome dimension that must be tackled with urgency.

Chairman of the Southeast governor’s forum and Ebonyi State Governor, David Nweze Umahi, who read the communiqué, stated that though they recognized quite rightly the challenge faced by each zone of the country by one form of youth restiveness or the other, they are “particularly concerned because of the crude dimensions that things are veering.”

Stressing that Ndigbo condemned hate speeches and certain conducts emanating from segments of the country over unresolved issues; he stated that they would “continue to seek avenues of positive resolutions in order to avert bringing pointless doom upon the country.”

Meanwhile, fiscal federalism and review of the controversial 2014 National Conference Report will dominate discussions as Nigeria’s leaders of thought meet today at the Ilupeju-Lagos chambers of the late Chief Rotimi Williams.

According to the report, major proponents of restructuring, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Constitutional lawyer and former Minister of Education, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Professor of Political Economy and Entrepreneurship, Pat Okedinachi Utomi, Afenifere leader Ayo Adebanjo, are scheduled to be part of the ‘closed meeting.’ Other leaders expected to participate in today’s brainstorming session in Lagos are former Governors of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, Donald Duke and Obong Attah, among others.

Prof. Utomi, who gave the hint in a telephone conversation with The Guardian last night — upon returning from a similar conference in Rwanda — said the current situation in Nigeria demands urgent attention from men and women of goodwill.

The outcome of discussion at the ‘closed conference’ will form part of the restructuring template to be adopted by like-minded groups seeking audience from government on fiscal federalism and the report of the 2014 national confab organised by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, a pro-Biafra group, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) said yesterday that it is opposed to restructuring because the foundation and intention of establishing the country does not favour the clamour.

In a statement made available to journalists in Enugu by its leader, Uchenna Madu, the group reaffirmed it’s belief in what it described as “outright self determination for Biafra independence from Nigeria,” stressing that Biafra referendum was inevitable with the successful formation of common platform by pro-Biafra groups.

Describing the country as “British sponsored northern domination of political and military landscape”, the group noted that such arrangement would never allow restructuring which would favour other segments of the country.

He said: “We shall consistently, unrelentingly and continuously press and demand for a referendum that will determine the fate and choice of identity of the people of Biafra.’’

 

 

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Copyright 2017 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. sirOscie.

    July 3, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    Restructuring the ailing Nigeria system is a step in the right direction, One that all well meaning Nigerians should support wholeheartedly..
    We need to do things differently for a better and greater Nigeria.
    Keep speaking for the people Atiku Abubakar.

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