Southern, Middle-Belt Forum Tells FG To Restructure Nigeria, Release Kanu
The federal government has been urged to restructure Nigeria to save the country from imminent collapse.
This was part of the resolutions of the Southern and Middle-Belt Forum after its meeting held Thursday in Abuja. The meeting was chaired by the forum’s leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
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The group, in a communique, urged the FG to work towards the restructuring of the country and enthrone true federalism “as was originally entrenched in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions.”
According to the communique, “Without restructuring, the future of Nigeria and democracy remain bleak and must, therefore, be carried out immediately.”
The forum rejected the trend where some sections of the country “are continually marginalized in the number of states, local governments, and even appointments into the Federal Executive Council.”
The forum particularly requested that the South East be appropriately represented on the Federal Executive Council similar to other geo-political zones. It also insisted that “Nigeria must always remain a country where all citizens and sections enjoy a full sense of belonging and equality.”
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On the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, the forum commended the political class, especially the leading presidential candidates in the 2023 presidential election, for their recourse to constitutional means in redressing their grievances, adding that it would make its position known on Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment which affirmed President Bola Tinubu winner of the 25th February 2023 presidential election.
SMBLF also urged that efforts “be redoubled to assuage the daily depreciating living standards of Nigerians”, and called on the federal government to “urgently salvage the naira, which continues to depreciate daily.”
It also advised FG to take urgent steps to release Nnamdi Kanu since a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered so.
In the view of the forum, “doing so will promote peace and security in the South East.”
Those that attended the meeting included Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader, Afenifere; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, president-general, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; Dr Pogu Bitrus, president, Middle Belt Forum; Chief Cornelius Adebayo, former governor of Kwara State; Obong Victor Attah, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, and Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, national chairman, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
