If an Ibo man becomes president, Nigeria will be put on the path of prosperity, development –Comrade Igboayaka Igboanyaka .Says: ‘What we want is a new Constitution, not amendment from nothing’

COMRADE IGBOAYAKA O. IGBOANYAKA is the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council. He talks about the new Constitution; 2014 National Confab; creation of more states among other contemporary issues in this interview with ISAAC NGUMAH. Excerpt:

Do you think restructuring Nigeria is the solution to Nigeria’s problem?

First of all, the Constitution we are using is not the people’s Constitution. So, the restructuring of Nigeria must call for a pure Sovereign National Conference so that people will decide on the type of restructuring or what the people want in Nigeria and that is where the issue of the Constitution will come in because we don’t have a Constitution. The Constitution we have is written by few people; the only Constitution that was suspended is the 1963 Constitution that practising regional government. So, it will be better for Nigerians to agree to have a pure Sovereign National Conference. Let people come at a roundtable discussion to discuss what they want in Nigeria.

So, what can you say on the 2014 National Confab?

We cannot work on 2014 National Confab. There is what they call no-go-areas; if you cannot bring the issue of no-go-area, everything must be discussed and allow people to air their views of what they want in 2014 National Confab there was restriction on discussing certain issues, it cannot be used as a yardstick to the solution of the country. I am talking of pure national sovereign national confab that everything will be tabled and discussed and people will not be restricted on discussing certain issues; that is the type of conference that is needed in Nigeria.

What can you say on the review of the Constitution?

We don’t have a Constitution talk less of the one to review. The one the people of Nigeria is using was drafted by a few people. What we want is a new Constitution, not amendment from nothing.

What can you say on the creation of more states in Nigeria?

We should be talking about creating more states in the South-East not Nigeria because South-East is politically-marginalized. So, we must talk about equity, fairness and justice, South-East is only having five states and we are creating more states in Nigeria instead of creating more states. So, you can see that the South-East is being marginalized.

What will be the benefits of creating additional states in the South-East?

The benefits will be the benefits that other zones are having politically in the distributions of the natural resources in the various zones. If you are distributing, the Yoruba are getting six;and the Igbo are getting five. So, when you talk about the populations of Nigeria, the Igbo constitute 42.8 per cent of the total populations of Nigeria.

What is your assessment of the President Tinubu’s one year in office?

The assessment of the President’s one year in office is a total failure. In fact, we don’t have a leader; we don’t have a President; there is an incensement of more than three million Nigerians that this present government has taken back to poverty again including over 80 million we had in the past. The Tinubu’s policy is tax; more extra taxes; that’s what Tinubu know. Tinubu does not understand what governance is all about, everything has increased in Nigeria.

What is your stand on Igbo president in Nigeria? Do you see the Ibo man becoming number one citizen in Nigeria?

Nigeria will not survive with this present structure; it is very difficult for an Ibo man to be president because an Ibo man becoming president is to put the country on the path of prosperity and progress but there are hands that don’t want Nigeria to be on this path of progress and so, they will not want an Ibo man to become the President of Nigeria. If an Ibo man becomes the president it is for political and economic development of this country. Some people don’t want those people; they will ensure that Nigeria keeps sinking. So, if you give an Ibo man president, Nigeria will be put on the path of prosperity and development.

What are your achievements so far since your inception as the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council?

What we targetted when I came into power, our major work is to unify the Igbo all over the world. We have all our stakeholders in almost all the states of the federation in Nigeria. We were planning to introduce agriculture to the Igbo youths and also create empowerment programmes to assist the youths in general.

What can you say on those agitating for Biafra in the South-East?

Agitation of Biafra is mainly characterized because of the level of injustice and marginalization against the Igbo.

What can you say on the release of Nnamdi Kanu?

Nnamdi Kanu should be released; his arrest is unconstitutional, illegal and unconditional.

What can you say on the infrastructural decay in the South-East?

The infrastructural decay in the South-East is because of the issue of marginalization. For example in the South-East, we have the best sea ports in Nigeria but have been neglected by the Federal Government.

Should Nigeria return to regional government?

It (regional government) can save Nigeria to some extent. We are aware when we were in the time of regional government that it is one of the fastest developing regions in the world. From 1953 to 1963, it was developing faster than China and Singapore; it is historical.

What can you say on the proposed single-term of six years for the President?

The House of Reps cannot be talking about those things; it will be the worst looting, they will loot for those six years; they are there to loot for four years, they can do five per cent, then another four years of looting. Talking about six-year single term; immediately the person enters, the person will loot for six years and get out of office and another will come and loot for another six years, they should be talking about having a pure Sovereign National Conference to stabilize Nigeria.

What are the Igbo doing to make sure the Igbo presidency comes to reality?

You can see what happened in 2023 election; we brought out Peter Obi and you saw how the election was hijacked. It was rigged; you saw what happened at the Presidential Election Tribunal; we saw everything; we mobilize other tribes to let us fix Nigeria but there are some people who don’t want Nigeria to be fixed.

 What can you say on the economic policy of the President?

The economic policy of the president is tax; that is his policy.

What can you say on the removal of fuel subsidy which has caused pains and hardship to Nigerians?

We have looters that are parading at the corridor of powers, fuel subsidy how can we have fuel here and you are talking about fuel subsidy? None of the refinery is working but every year, they are padding budgets on the refinery that are not working. How can we have fuel here and you take our fuel here to another country, refine our fuel there and bring it down to Nigeria? We have criminals at the corridor of power; that is the problem of this country. How can we have fuel but today, we are selling fuel at N700 in Nigeria, the fuel that is coming from our land? God will be regretting why he gave us such mineral resources because we are not managing our resources very well. What is fuel subsidy? These people are not sincere; none of the refineries is working and they are telling us fuel subsidy, are they deceiving us?

What can you say on Anti-Open Grazing Bill

If somebody wants to rear animals, goat or sheep or whatever, you buy your land and do your farming and grazing but if it is on somebody’s land where trees and crops are planted you prefer to be grazing, it is unacceptable. These are parts of the things causing crises in Nigeria and that is why we are having herders and farmers’ clash everywhere. Nobody should talk about open grazing bill. Every sensible Nigeria should be against open grazing. If you want to rear animals, use your money to buy a land to feed and train your animals.

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