Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Chinagorom Ugwu
Published on 2024-02-20 09:31:10
The Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has expressed its intention to file a lawsuit against the Nigerian government due to its failure to create an additional state in the South-east region. President-General of the Ohanaeze, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, voiced his concerns in a statement, highlighting what he considers to be an unfair allocation of states in the country, with the South-east being the only region with five states.
This perceived disparity has been deemed costly for the region, resulting in financial losses, as well as diminished access to ministerial appointments and legislative representations. According to Mr Iwuanyanwu, efforts to address this issue have been raised in the past during political conferences in 2005 and 2014, with a general consensus that an additional state should be created in the South-east. However, no action has been taken on this matter.
Mr Iwuanyanwu expressed his frustrations in regard to the lack of resolution on the matter, stating that he had brought the attention of successive Nigerian governments to the situation, but no steps have been taken to rectify the perceived injustice against the South-east. As a result, he warned that the organization would pursue legal action against the federal government and the National Assembly if no measures are taken to create an additional state in the South-east.
Furthermore, Mr Iwuanyanwu reiterated his concerns about the marginalization of the South-east within the country, citing the 1999 Constitution as amended, which incorporates the concept of federal character. He pointed out that despite the preference for a free competitive process, the region has accepted the federal character paradigm as part of its contribution towards the unity of Nigeria. Nevertheless, the federal character has seemingly been deployed to exclude the Igbo from critical positions in government.
In response to the lack of progress in addressing the issues pertaining to the South-east, the Ohanaeze leader has vowed to pursue legal action as a means of seeking redress and defending the rights of the region. Through these statements, Ohanaeze aims to bring attention to the ongoing challenges faced by the South-east and to advocate for fair representation and equitable allocation of resources within Nigeria.
In conclusion, the discontent expressed by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide regarding the allocation of states and the marginalization of the South-east warrants the attention of the Nigerian government and stakeholders. The threat of a lawsuit serves as a reminder of the pressing need to address the perceived injustices facing the region and to work towards a more inclusive and equitable political landscape for all Nigerians.
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