The Southeast region of Nigeria has finalized plans to sue the federal government over the marginalisation of the zone in the state creation.
This was revealed on Wednesday by President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Iwuanyanwu restated that the southeast should be given an additional state, lamenting that the region has lost lots of Naira due to this imbalance.
According to him, it was unfair for the northwest to have seven states while other regions have six states and the southeast is left with only five.
“A team of Igbo lawyers are being assembled to drag the federal government to court to ask for extra state and also demand the trillions of Naira Igbos have lost because they’ve lesser number of states,” he said.
In view of subsequent calls for a constitutional amendment, the Ohanaeze leader highlighted that Igbos support the dissolution of power and allocations to be shared between the federal and state governments alone and for every region to develop at its pace.
“So no constitutional amendment can be made without bringing Igbos to par with other regions in state creation,” he said.
Chief Iwuanyanwu also cautioned those who have turned the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo into a profit-based symbol, declaring that he will use everything he has to protect the integrity of Igbos.
In his remarks, chairman of the occasion and former military Governor of the old Anambra and the old Imo states, Admiral Allison Madueke noted that it was time for Igbo people to take a step backwards and rebuild the movement at this point.
The former Chief of Naval Staff added that Igbo people need to ask themselves critical questions like, ‘where they missed their step’ and begin to make amends to achieve better results.
Meanwhile, a communique was issued at the end of the retreat.
“The various specialized Ohanaeze Committees were therefore urged to swing into action to ensure the realization of the new Igbo agenda in sync with 21st Century socio-economic realities.
“The Igbo leaders also resolved that insecurity in the Southeast is a major hindrance to the development of the region and urged the southeast governors, security agencies and civil society organizations to redouble efforts in the security sector.
“The general consensus here is that the provision of security will unlock our great potential, especially in agriculture. The Retreat also resolved to intensify its drive for the unconditional release of the detained leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“The Igbo leaders emphasized the imperative of collaboration between Ohanaeze leadership and Igbo Governors for the realization of Ala-Igbo Transformation Agenda.
“The retreat also harped on the capacity of Ndigbo for self-sufficiency in food production and urged the Igbo Governors to key into this vision and also ensure tight security in the region to earn the confidence of intending investors.
“The Igbo leaders also endorsed the proposed N10 billion Naira Endowment Fund from the Igbo in the Diaspora to give Ohanaeze a reasonable degree of financial stability.” The communique reads partly.
Chinedum Anayo