By Clifford Ndujihe,
ELDERS and leaders of southern Nigeria and Middle Belt, have dissected Nigeria’s state of affairs and returned a grim verdict: Standard of living is depreciating speedily and must be halted.
They also urged President Bola Tinubu to salvage the rapidly depreciating Naira, begin efforts to restructure Nigeria to full fiscal federalism, end marginalisation of some sections of the country in terms of appointments, creation of states and local councils as well as release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
These were some of the decisions taken at a meeting of the elders and leaders on the banner of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, in Abuja, on Thursday.
At the meeting were leaders and elders of the South-East, South-West, South-South, and Middle-Belt Regions represented by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Afenifere, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and the Middle Belt Forum, MBF.
Chaired by Chief E. K. Clark, the parley was attended by Chief Ayo Adebanjo – Leader, Afenifere; Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Dr. Pogu Bitrus – President, Middle Belt Forum; Senator Cornelius Adebayo, former Governor of Kwara State; Obong Victor Attah, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State; and Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien – National Chairman, PANDEF.
Others include General Zamani Lekwot retd., former Military Governor of Rivers State; General Lawrence Onoja retd., former Military Governor of Katsina State; Lt. General Ishaya Bamaiyi, retd., former Chief of Army Staff; Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor of Anambra State; Chief S.N. Okeke, former Chairman, Police Service Commission; Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, former Chairman of NDDC; Chief Sola Ebiseni, National Secretary, Afenifere; Amb. Godknows Igali; Amb. Okey Emuchay, Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange; Senator Musa Adede; Prof. G. G. Darah; and Chief Solomon Asemota SAN.
The rest include DIG. Potter L. Dabup, retd; Engr. Marcus Gundiri; Chief Akin Oshuntokun; Dr. Akin Fapohunda; Prof Charles Nwakeaku; Dele Farotimi; Prof. Echefuna Onyebeadi; Jonathan Tsaku; Mr. Mac Emakpore; Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia; Prince Maikpobi Okareme; Jonathan Asake; Mrs. Elizabeth Jibrin; Chief Hon. Olivia Agbajoh; and Dr. Ken Robinson.
Resolutions
According to a communique signed by EK Clark, Adebanjo, Iwuanyanwu, Lekwot, Pogu and Ibok-Essien, the leaders and elders discussed exhaustively the current developments in the country and urged the Federal Government to, “as a matter of urgency, and priority, work towards the Restructuring of the country and enthrone True Federalism as was originally entrenched in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions.”
According to them, “Without restructuring, the future of Nigeria and democracy remain bleak and must, therefore, be carried out immediately.”
They expressed “great concern and total rejection of the trend where certain sections of the country are continually marginalized in the number of states, local governments, and even appointments into the Federal Executive Council,” and “particularly request that the South-East be appropriately represented on the Federal Executive Council, similar to other geo-political zones.”
They insisted that “Nigeria must always remain a country where all citizens and sections enjoy a full sense of belonging and equality.”
On the outcome of the 2023 general elections, they commended the political class, especially the leading presidential candidates for their recourse to constitutional means in redressing their grievances.
They noted that Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment on the 2023 presidential election had effectively brought to an end the legal processes on the conduct and outcome of the February 25, 2023 presidential poll, and said they “will in the coming days, make a substantial pronouncement on the judgment.”
Improve living standard
The leaders urged that “efforts be redoubled to assuage the daily depreciating living standard of Nigerians,” and called on the Federal Government “to urgently salvage the Naira, which continues to depreciate daily.”
Release Nnamdi Kanu
They advised the Federal Government to take urgent steps to “release Nnamdi Kanu since a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered so. We believe that doing so will promote peace and security in the South-East.”
FCT belongs to all
They said the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, “remains the national patrimony of all Nigerians,” and thus condemned “the present efforts by some to arrogate exclusiveness. This must be rejected and the promoters of such views should be called to order.”
They urged President Tinubu to take “an urgent look at the 2014 National Conference Report, concluded by 494 of the country’s leaders, as well as the All Progressives Congress, APC, Report on True Federalism.”
They resolved to set up a Strategic Committee on Restructuring and expressed readiness to interface with the Federal Government, the National Assembly, and all other stakeholders, on the enunciated issues.
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