Ethnic nationalities from the six geopolitical zones and groups at the end of its just concluded symposium in Kaduna have proposed an eight region structure for the country.
Participants at the two days event insisted that the time has come for Nigeria to restructure, into reorganized regions.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the national symposium, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu represented by the National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Alamu said the middle belt believe in the oneness of Nigeria, saying, but we believe the country need to restructure. For instance, “we in the middle belt want more states in the zone.
The convener of the two day summit, Deacon Owolabi Oladejo, explained to the first series of the national symposium was held in Ibadan in 2023, saying that the essence of The Rebirth Group is to provide a platform where people of ethnic nationalities and minorities can air their views freely on the future of Nigeria.
In a communique read by the chairman of the communique drafting committee, Mr Jare Ajayi noted that the proposed Regions should be given more powers over their respective affairs.
“In other words, the central government is to concern itself only with issues that the federating units cannot handle. The central government should be smaller and smarter.
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“Six Regions were recommended at the Ibadan Symposium – perhaps in line with the present geo-political zones. At the Kaduna Symposium however, Eight Regions were proposed. But each region would be equal to the other in status and ranking.
The ethnic nationalities believes that restructuring into Regions is not meant to abrogate states that we have presently.
However, posited that, “The Regions would form the Federating units to make the country to be known as United Regions of Nigeria (URN) or any other nomenclature that we find convenient
“Each Region is to have its own Constitution and be autonomous. This is to ensure that they are in a proper position to operationalize self-determination.
“The restructuring must be such that the community, state and local government from where certain resources come should have 70 per cent of the proceeds of the resources while 30 per cent goes to the center.
“To avoid domination or even sit-tight syndrome, heads of each level of government should be rotational on the basis of the constituents within that enclave.
“When the head comes from one area the deputy would be from another part.
“The latter would automatically become the Head of the Government at the end of the tenure of the incumbent.
“This should be done in a manner that each constituent area in the state, region and the country will have the opportunity to be head of government in turn.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
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