Former president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, has stated that the delay in restructuring the country may result in a mass boycott or disruption of the 2023 general elections.
Nwodo who spoke at the 14th Anthony Cardinal Okogie Foundation (ACOF) annual lecture themed, ‘Whither Nigeria: Restructuring, Secession or Status Quo’, which was organized by Knights of St. John International and Ladies Auxiliary (KSJI), stated that restructuring is necessary for the country’s unity and development.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s independence and post-independence constitution were based on regional differences, which allows each region the opportunity to develop along with its revenue capability and needs.
He recounted how the 1966 military coup, led to the enforcement of a unitary system for the country to suit its command structure.
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He stated that rather than discard this system it was firmly established in the 1999 constitution.
Nwodo went further to say that Nigeria’s fundamental problem has remained so because the 1999 constitution is not a people-centred document, but an imposition by the military that has given the north undue advantages over other federating units in the country.
He opined that if Nigeria is to make progress the country’s military-imposed constitution should be replaced with a more people-inclusive document.
“Our expectation now is that our president, will address the situation by constituting a nationwide conversation of all ethnic nationalities to look into the 2014 national conference report and other trending views on this subject matter so as to come up with a consensus proposal,” he said.
He said the present APC-led leadership and other political stakeholders must do all they can “to restructure before the next election in 2023, because the level of dissatisfaction in the country as evidenced by the last ENDSARS protest gives one the impression that any delay may lead to a mass boycott or disruption of the next elections to the point that we may have a more serious constitutional crisis of a nation without a government”.
