Nwodo tasks new Ohanaeze Ndigbo executive on restructuring, constitution amendment

Immediate past President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, has urged the newly elected executive of the body to remain committed to the call “for radical revisitation to the constitutional structure of Nigeria imposed on the country by the military.”

He gave the charge in his valedictory speech at the general elections of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation of Ndigbo in Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday.

He clamed that prior to his assumption of office on January 3, 2017, the ethnic group was politically and economically marginalised, with its people allegedly treated like low class citizens in the country.

Nwodo continued: “One of the first things we addressed was the skewed political structure of Nigeria which left Ndigbo, notwithstanding our population, with the lowest number of states and local governments in the federation. Because of this, we got the lowest allocation of federally collected revenues.

“This situation has also jaundiced our states and local governments financially and prevented them from embarking on more developmental efforts than they are doing now.”

The former minister implored Igbo leaders, irrespective of political, religious and ideological differences, to support Ohanaeze Ndigbo in realising true federalism for Nigeria and moving the Igbo nation forward.

“Prior to our coming here, a few discordant tunes sounded reluctant to join in the process of today’s (yesterday) elections. I call on our dissenting brothers to sheath their sword and embrace the path of unity and peace,” he appealed.