…Groups say only 2 percent of the population corner national resources
By Nuel Suji – The on-going call for the restructuring of the Nigeria federation, Thursday, gained another momentum with Nigerians in United Kingdom forming a common front to pursue the agitation by seeking assistance from International Community.
The groups rose from its meeting on Tuesday, 22nd August at Canning Town, London, United Kingdom and resolved that the present structure of the country is not working, arguing that the lasting solution to Nigeria age long problem lies in the practice of true federalism.
The coalitions that gathered to examine and voice their opinion on the agitation at home for restructuring of the Nigerian state comprised of the South-East/South-South Network, Yoruba Ronu, Bendel Federation, Igbo Ekunie Initiative and the Movement for National Reformation.
The coalitions lamented that only two percent of the population corner the state resources at both the federal and state level in Nigeria.
In a communiqué issued at the end of their maiden international summit in UK, and signed by its spokespersons , Felix Adejumo, Tochukwu Ezeoke, the groups resolved to create an international platform to pursue their common goal and called on all patriotic Nigerians not to see the agitation as a Southern Nigeria affair. They further called on Southerners to form a united front to bring about the much needed restructuring of the country.
“For how long will the country continue with the current arrangement which is not working and cannot work”, the groups asked, adding that “the only solution to the nation’s problem is true federalism which will enhance development across the country.”
The communiqué observed that, “The present structure is not working, has never worked and will not work.
There is need for all southern ethnic nationalities to work together to break the northern hegemony which is an obstacle to the progress of the country.
“True federation is where the confederating units willingly decide to come together to cede certain functions to the centre, controls their god-given resources and donate certain percentage to the centre.
“The creation of state Police is long overdue to address the problem of insecurity across the country.
”The Exclusive legislative list is defective – the central federal government should have control only over the national currency, foreign policy, monetary and defence policy and immigration while the federating State units control the rest.
“Today’s cost of governance is unsustainable. Only 2 percent of the population corner the state resources at both the federal and state level. The present structure enables corruption, and to minimise corruption, remove the enablers of graft in the system.
“The various agitations all over the country are a reflection of the fact that the current structure is not working, and only by restructuring could the country douse tensions and avoid break-up.”
