The South East cannot take the APC promise of zoning the Office of President of Nigeria to the South East in 2023 seriously, unless the APC demonstrates it’s seriousness by zoning the office of the President of Senate to the South East now; says the President of Eastern Nigeria Development Association (ENDA) in a chat with Journalists, in Umuahia today.
ENDA with Barrister Max Ogah Esq as it’s Secretary General, is an Association of Young Progressive Professionals from the Eleven states of Eastern Nigeria: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Anioma people of Edo State, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers State.
Dr. Chukwunaru pointed out that “the APC produced two Senators of South East extraction in the January 23, 2019 Federal Elections; one of who shall become a ranking member of Senate due to his past legislative experience. Hence, there will be no excuse this time for the continues marginalisation of the South East by the APC led Federal Government since it’s inception in 2015.”
The President of ENDA further called for “the immediate restructuring of the country now, in order to ensure peace, security and accelerated development of Nigeria in general and the Eastern Nigeria in particular. And the only starting point for any meaningful restructuring of Nigeria must start from bringing back the one and only genuine Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1963, which was suspended by late Major General J.T.U Aguiyi Ironsi since 1966.”
Dr Charles Obinna Chukwunaru advised that the 1963 constitution can be amended to reflect present realities in Nigeria; whilst maintaining is original Regionalist Fundamental Principles.
The Peace theorist; and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution expert asserts that “the present Federal Working Document also know as the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) is a mere Federal Working document concocted by past military government to benefit the government at the centre to the detriment of the federation units.
“This aberration of fundamental Principles of Federalism, Constitutionalism, Rule of Law, Democracy and Human Rigts; is the underlying cause of massive underdevelopment, high and low intensity violent conflicts, hunger, poverty and untimely deaths in Nigeria in general and Eastern Nigeria in particular.”
In conclusion, the international scholar and political technocrat advised that “failure of the APC leadership to zone the office of President of Senate to the South East will further feed the perception of oppression, marginalisation, repression and exclusion of the South East from access to political and economic participation in Nigeria. Thereby fuelling the call for separation from the centre by people of Eastern Nigeria.”
