Diaspora Igbo Group Insists on Restructuring, Fiscal Federalism

A group of Igbo people in Diaspora, Igbo World Assembly (IWA), has insisted on the need to restructure Nigeria to ensure true federalism as it was in the 1963 Constitution based on regions or zones respectively.

This is even as the group has condemned strongly the federal government position on the shoot-at-sight order of South-east youths, noting that it was an act of ethnic cleaning and genocide.

The Chairman of IWA, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, who stated this in his keynote address in Abuja at the just-concluded Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Transition Inter-ethnic peace dialogue, told the gathering that true fiscal federalism was needed in Nigeria to address issues affecting the country.

Restructuring Nigeria, according to him, should be a means of tackling the worsening security situation and the agitation for secession.

He said: “We need a Nigerian political structure that is based on equity, fair play, balance and equal access to political power for the good of all Nigerians.

“IWA feels that what Nigeria needs on the long run is true fiscal federalism which is a system of government based on democratic rules and institutions in which the power to govern is shared between national and region/state governments. The individual federating units need to have more control over their own affairs.

“The regional government should control their resources and pay a percentage royalty tax to the federal government.

The federal government should control issues in the single exclusive list such as military or foreign policy. We should return to agricultural businesses as was practiced in the 60s by our former leaders.”

Anakwenze, who spoke on a number of issues affecting Nigeria, told the capacity audience that “there is a need to restructure Nigeria to ensure true federalism. We need a Nigerian political structure that is based on equity, fair play, balance and equal access to political power for the good of all Nigerians.”

According to him, “A future Nigeria requires respect for our constitution and rule of law, respect for human and civil rights, respect for the federal character commission rules from 1979 constitution; implementation of restructuring, regionalisation and devolution of powers, merit-based appointment to government positions, firm knowledge and competent management of Nigeria’s economy among others.”

“If we cannot work this out quickly, a referendum might be needed so that all the major Nigerian groups can go their separate ways.”

On the group position about the presidency of Nigeria from the South-east region, he noted that: “We ask that all political parties should zone their presidential candidacy to the South-east in 2023. And all efforts should be geared towards achieving that goal. IWA states that only restructuring can prevent Nigeria from disintegration.”

Speaking with deep concern on the killer Fulani herdsmen, the IWA leader said Ndigbo would no longer tolerate the attack by herdsmen. “We are very concerned about that because the well-being of our people is involved. We will no longer accept this condition and we are going to talk to our people on what to do about this.”