– President Muhammadu Buhari has been
advised by eminent Nigerians to restructure
Nigeria now
– Prof. Jerry Gana, Peter Obi, Arthur
Nwankwo,Ms Annkio Briggs said demand for
separation by various groups as well as
other socio-economic crises could be
reduced by half if the national confab’s
report was implemented
Will President Muhammadu Buhari listen to
the Igbo leaders?
Former Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme,
former governor of old Anambra State
Chukwuemeka Ezeife and a former National
Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain,
Ayo Adebanjo, called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to embark on
restructuring of Nigeria in line with the
principles of true federalism.
The call made during the 17th convention of
the Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) in Enugu.
Also at the occasion were former Minister of
Information Prof. Jerry Gana; former
Anambra State Governor Peter Obi,
renowned author Arthur Nwankwo and Niger
Delta activist and protagonist of resource
control, Ms Annkio Briggs.
The leaders, who spoke on the theme of the
convention, “Still in search of true
federalism”, noted that the current protests
and demand for separation by various groups
as well as other socio-economic crises could
be reduced by half if the national confab’s
report was implemented.
According to Ekwueme, what Nigeria
negotiated for and agreed with the colonial
masters before independence was a regional
government where each has a constitution,
annexed to the Republican constitution of
1963.
“There is need for us to return to the basics
from what we inherited from our founding
fathers,” he said.
Adebanjo, who traced the origin of
federalism in Nigeria to various pre-and post
colonial constitutional conferences, insisted
that Nigeria must be restructured to correct
the humongous damage done to the nation’s
constitution by the military and to stop
various acts of uprising, including those of
Niger Delta Avengers, MASSOB and IPOB.
Gana said the nation’s founding fathers were
right by agreeing to a federal structure,
which he described as the best for peace,
equity and justice.
The guest speaker and former Information
Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, said that the key
solution to Nigeria’s problem was through
true federalism and devolution of powers to
states.
“True fiscal federalism is the only form of
association that will allow peace and stability
in the country and each region should be
allowed to manage its resources the way they
want it,” Gana said.
He noted that the formula for allocating
revenue made the Federal Government to
get richer while the states operated like
beggars.
“States should be allowed to manage its
resources to enable them govern their people
the way they want and allocate some
percentage to the Federal Government.
“Government should not be far from the
people and the federating unit should be made
strong to meet the needs of the people,” he
said.
Gana recommended continuous dialogue and
the implementation of the resolutions of
national confab by the government as the
only means the recent agitation and other
national demand could be handled.
Briggs, who received the award of “Amazon
of Truth” by IYM, said true and fiscal
federalism must be truthful and justifiable.
She believed in resource control, she said,
adding that as much as she does not think
that Nigeria must break, she believes that if
the nation continues on the current path,
disintegration would be inevitable.
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi
supported restructuring of the country on
the basis of fiscal federalism, but he warned
while that was being addressed, there was
need to urgently address the high cost of
governance. Any governor who says he can’t
pay workers’ salaries, Obi said, should give
way for other persons with bett
advised by eminent Nigerians to restructure
Nigeria now
– Prof. Jerry Gana, Peter Obi, Arthur
Nwankwo,Ms Annkio Briggs said demand for
separation by various groups as well as
other socio-economic crises could be
reduced by half if the national confab’s
report was implemented
Will President Muhammadu Buhari listen to
the Igbo leaders?
Former Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme,
former governor of old Anambra State
Chukwuemeka Ezeife and a former National
Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain,
Ayo Adebanjo, called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to embark on
restructuring of Nigeria in line with the
principles of true federalism.
The call made during the 17th convention of
the Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) in Enugu.
Also at the occasion were former Minister of
Information Prof. Jerry Gana; former
Anambra State Governor Peter Obi,
renowned author Arthur Nwankwo and Niger
Delta activist and protagonist of resource
control, Ms Annkio Briggs.
The leaders, who spoke on the theme of the
convention, “Still in search of true
federalism”, noted that the current protests
and demand for separation by various groups
as well as other socio-economic crises could
be reduced by half if the national confab’s
report was implemented.
According to Ekwueme, what Nigeria
negotiated for and agreed with the colonial
masters before independence was a regional
government where each has a constitution,
annexed to the Republican constitution of
1963.
“There is need for us to return to the basics
from what we inherited from our founding
fathers,” he said.
Adebanjo, who traced the origin of
federalism in Nigeria to various pre-and post
colonial constitutional conferences, insisted
that Nigeria must be restructured to correct
the humongous damage done to the nation’s
constitution by the military and to stop
various acts of uprising, including those of
Niger Delta Avengers, MASSOB and IPOB.
Gana said the nation’s founding fathers were
right by agreeing to a federal structure,
which he described as the best for peace,
equity and justice.
The guest speaker and former Information
Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, said that the key
solution to Nigeria’s problem was through
true federalism and devolution of powers to
states.
“True fiscal federalism is the only form of
association that will allow peace and stability
in the country and each region should be
allowed to manage its resources the way they
want it,” Gana said.
He noted that the formula for allocating
revenue made the Federal Government to
get richer while the states operated like
beggars.
“States should be allowed to manage its
resources to enable them govern their people
the way they want and allocate some
percentage to the Federal Government.
“Government should not be far from the
people and the federating unit should be made
strong to meet the needs of the people,” he
said.
Gana recommended continuous dialogue and
the implementation of the resolutions of
national confab by the government as the
only means the recent agitation and other
national demand could be handled.
Briggs, who received the award of “Amazon
of Truth” by IYM, said true and fiscal
federalism must be truthful and justifiable.
She believed in resource control, she said,
adding that as much as she does not think
that Nigeria must break, she believes that if
the nation continues on the current path,
disintegration would be inevitable.
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi
supported restructuring of the country on
the basis of fiscal federalism, but he warned
while that was being addressed, there was
need to urgently address the high cost of
governance. Any governor who says he can’t
pay workers’ salaries, Obi said, should give
way for other persons with bett
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