Joseph Ushigiale in Abakaliki
8 May 2000
Lagos — The recent calls by governors in the South-eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo for confederation have been described as the devils alternative, but not the last option in the quest for a new deal by the people of the zone from the present democratic dispensation.
Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki at the weekend, a constitutional lawyer and executive chairman, Izzu local government, Mr. Franklin Eden cautioned that instead of lampooning and branding the governors as unpatriotic and agents of secession; the leadership should remodel its priorities towards ensuring equity in the appropriation of the National cake.
Edem noted that, calls for confederation were borne out of frustration and consistent cries by the minority ethnic groups, and the Igbos, whom he said, have waited patiently since after the war, watching the gradual decay of infrastructure and the almost non- existent road network linking the various eastern states without any meaningful developmental assistance from the central government over the years.
According to him, they now want their destiny in their own hands based on their own resources. If Nigeria is truly united, these agitations would not have arisen. The Igbos have not actually had a fair share in the Nigerian entity inspite of the fact that they conceded for Nigeria to be united; they are therefore agitating for their constitutional rights and should be listened to. Edem condemned calls for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) describing such calls as an aberration in a democracy as it would afterall not make the impact they are clamouring for.
He attributed the consistent calls for SNC to the continual fear of domination expressed by the minority ethnic groups; adding that in reality, there exist glaring cases inequality in the structure of the federal service, allocation of developmental projects etc. Our leaders should address constitutional issues of inequality, federal character appointments in the federal service etc. to assuage the feelings of dominion by some major ethnic groups in the country, he advised.
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