An association of Igbo in the diaspora, the Global Igbo Alliance, GIA has said that the current structure of Nigeria is not working.
The group, which is currently conducting an opinion poll among the Igbo to know what they actually want in the Nigeria federation, through its Vice President Rev Luke Iwunze explained what informed the poll, what they intend to do with its outcome and how they would achieve result among others.
He said: ‘The poll is aimed at sampling the opinions of Igbo people to know what they want. Do they want Biafra?
Are they in support of restructuring along regionalism? Or are they comfortable with the status quo; that is, remaining one indivisible Nigeria as it is today? That is what the poll is all about.
On what informed poll he said: “the decision to conduct such poll became imperative following divergent views emanating from the Igbo nation regarding their existence in Nigeria. Right now, the Igbo are divided between those who want Biafra and those who want regionalism fashioned in line with the 1963 Constitution, with no significant number in support of Nigeria as it is today. So, there is need to ascertain the position of Igbo people on this subject.
‘The poll will assist us to know the minds of our people. Already, there is a raging disagreement on what the majority of Igbo people want for their future. The poll would help to settle that. As there is no evidence-based proof on the subject, the poll will certainly provide us with a degree of statistical evidence on it, which would then become the basis for our next line of advocacy for the Igbo people.
He went further to say that we don’t have to be in Abuja or in Nigeria to make a change. When the opinion poll ends, we will have the results analysed. Once that is done, we will work in conjunction with other progressive Igbo groups and leaders to marshal out strategies for its implementation.
How to make the outcome of the poll impactful won’t be a problem at all. We have our plans.
On why the group is concerned about the current state of the Nigerian federation Iwunze said ‘GIA believes Nigeria is a democratic state and people should not be ruled against their will. If majority of the Igbo say they want Biafra, we will put the message across to our people. If they say they want regional government fashioned after the 1963 Republican Constitution, we will definitely follow the same process. GIA believes strongly that either of the two alternatives needs to occur to achieve peace in Igbo land. This is 21st century and things ought to be done according to the will of the people.
‘Nigeria is currently not working and has been like this for decades with things getting worse by the day, there is need to sit down and re-evaluate ourselves as a country. If Nigeria is not working, let us go back to the drawing table to renegotiate, not just for the Igbo alone but also for the future of all Nigerians, including our unborn children.’
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