Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on the federal government to prioritize the fundamental needs of the Igbo nation.

In a statement issued by the National Deputy President General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the body noted that evidence on ground illustrates that the North has decisively disengaged from President Tinubu, now seeking alliances with influential leaders of Southeast and Niger Delta.

Isiguzoro warned that unless critical federal government policies are urgently reversed and significant corrective measures enacted, the disenchanted Nigerian populace is likely to align themselves with the chorus of opposition voices spearheaded by Northern leaders.

He further added that central to the new strategies to be adopted by the federal government was to ensure inclusive and credible national census in 2025 – one that mandates the incorporation of ethnicity and religious identity as crucial components.

According to Isiguzoro: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo hereby articulates a clarion call to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, asserting that no degree of presidential appeasement – be it through appointments or infrastructural promises – can restore the crumbling partnership between his administration and the Northern region that once prospered in 2023”.

“Evidence on the ground illustrates that the North has decisively disengaged from President Tinubu, now seeking alliances with influential leaders from the Southeast and Niger Delta with a singular and urgent objective: to unseat him in the impending 2027 elections”. 

“This strategic endeavor aims to unveil the authentic demographic vulnerabilities that underpin the discussions surrounding Northern numerical dominance”.

“Current realities indicate that approximately 39% of Northern Nigeria’s population comprises Igbo communities, while about 31% consists of Middle Belt Christians; the Hausa and Fulani together account for merely 30%”.

“This disproportionate demographic landscape is precisely why Northern leaders have consistently opposed the inclusion of ethnicity and religion in previous census efforts”.  

The apex body outlined condition for the support of Tinubu’s reelection and urged the federal government to act decisively, without further delay, by establishing a sixth state for the Southeast and rejuvenating the Eastern Economic Corridor.

“This includes urgently reopening and dredging the Calabar Seaport, which has been dormant for an astonishing 57 years, maximizing the utility of Port Harcourt Seaport, constructing a deep seaport in Azumiri (Ukwa East LGA, Abia State), and upgrading the Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu-Maiduguri railway to standard gauge. Moreover, the political release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is essential in fostering goodwill and addressing regional grievances, Ohanaeze Ndigbo added.

Isiguzoro further urged the federal government to engage constructively with non-violent Biafra agitators to address the pressing issue of violence and insecurity challenges in the Southeast.

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