Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly insists on restructuring

Seek adoption of 2014 national conference recommendations

Leaders of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA), yesterday, called for adoption of the recommendations of the 2014 national conference, including restructuring of the country.

The group, which began a three-day meeting in Umuahia, Abia State capital yesterday, also canvassed convocation of a sovereign national conference, among others.

SNPA is a non-political association of the people of southern states of Nigeria. It rotates its meeting among the member states.

The forum, which was scheduled to be chaired by former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, who was represented by First Republic Aviation Minister, Mbazulike Amaechi, featured presentation of papers by Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the South South delegation and outgoing coordinating chairman of the Assembly.

There was also a presentation by leader of the South West delegation and Co-chairman, Bishop Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, who was represented by Senator Femi Okuronmu.

Clark spoke on issues of herdsmen, kidnapping, restructuring and the need to implement the report of the 2014 national conference, fight against corruption, economic recession, and Niger Delta crisis, among others.

He enjoined the people of southern Nigeria to speak with open minds, “so that our collective vision for the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly will be achieved,” noting that “some of our northern brothers erroneously thought that the restructuring being clamoured for is anti-North.”