The Oodua People’s Congress said it has taken stock of the deliberations at the National Conference going on in the nation’s capital, Abuja and warned that any decision taken outside a return to regionalisation of the country would be inimical to the growth of Nigeria and a threat to her continued unity. This was contained in a statement on Sunday by the OPC’s Director of Information, Gboyega Adeoye, in Lagos. According to Adeoye: “The usurpation of power from the regions by the Federal Government was a plot by the military to plunder the national economy, in contradiction to the 1963 constitution which was originally designed for the growth and unity of Nigeria by the founding fathers of the country. ”Any system of government in a multi-ethnic state such as Nigeria that does not encourage competition among the resident nationalities is a fallacy. This is why we are sending this message to the delegates at the ongoing national conference to use the available opportunity at hand to canvass for a return of the country to the regions as enshrined in the 1963 constitution which stands as the only legitimate constitution drafted with the sound knowledge of our founding fathers. ”Our demand for regionalism is total and non negotiable. Nigerian was once a peaceful, progressive and united country with the initial arrangement where we have stronger regions with each using both its human and natural resources to grow its economy. Under the region, the Yoruba nation was able to assert herself as a role model in the area of education and infrastructural development. The cocoa business was booming just as the other nationalities were not left behind in the competition. Unfortunately, a nation that had the first television station alongside France the same year is now advertising the commissioning of boreholes on same television about half a century after. What an irony of life! ”We hereby propose that the country should return to zones as against the present system in which the states are the federating units. We also propose that each zone must be economically viable, as opposed to the current situation in which the States have been abysmally weakened and left to the mercy of the too powerful Federal Government. The 1963 constitution has so ordered everything to promote healthy competition and speedy development. Derivation was 50 percent to the host zone as royalty, 30 percent is kept by Federal Government in the Distributable Pool Account for equitable sharing among the zones while it holds on to the remaining 20 percent. ”We realised that under the zoning arrangement, aggrandizement gave way for patriotism; the kind we need at this nick of time to save the country from imminent collapse that could be facilitated by possible forceful break up. We lend our voice now before things finally get out of hand. We know, just like every other person in the conference that the greatest problem besetting Nigeria today ís the transparent lopsidedness in its sharing formula. A situation where the Federal Government takes almost 55 percent of the entire revenue and leave the 36 states in the country with 45 percent to share is anything but fair. The mad rush for oil money, a situation that has reduced the once up and doing regions to beggars must be crippled and stopped. We have resolved to ensure that the result from the ongoing conference will determine the future of a united Nigeria. ”And because we support a united Nigeria (where equal rights and justice prevail), we hereby send this warning to delegates at the national conference to tow the line of patriotism and selflessness by uniting unanimously on issues that will encourage a united and virile Nigeria that we shall all be proud to identify with. The founding fathers in their time took more interest in building their zones and sending their lieutenants to the centre. The result was the tremendous leap we were able to get then which to date has not been beaten by subsequent leaders. A stitch in time, often time, saves more than nine. ”We commend some notable Nigerians in the conference who have been very resolute on the side of a robust Nigeria. Delegates like Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Pa. Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Chief Olu falae, General Alani Akinriade (RTD) ,Dr Kunle Olajide, Otunba (Dr) Gani Adams, Dr Amos Akingba and indeed the overwhelming number of delegates from the South East, south-west and south-south regions of the country, including the middle belt, for their unwavering stance on regionalism as only potent panacea to the lingering political inequalities in the land. ”The delegates should bear in mind that they are on the path of history as their resolution shall determine the fate of Nigeria; to be or not to be? It should be on record that the voice for a shift from the destructive path we are currently treading is ear blowing from those that are still left with little hope of an indivisible Nigeria. Only recently, Prof Wole Soyinka and ace diplomat, Emeka Anyaoku did not mince words on their preference for a parliamentary system of government in Nigeria. For a country with the scourge of corruption forming the bulk of its progressive impediment, a cost effective system of government away from the lingering corruption aiding unitarism in false toga of federalism as we currently practise, is desirable. ”Together we shall build a solid Nigeria. We also salute the courage of the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha for opening up the sanctity of right to self determinism should the outcome of the conference leaves nothing impactful. He has by his utterance put the delegates and indeed Nigerians on their toes so that we all know that our being together is not a matter of must. We all have a right to decide how we want to live as a people and this is backed by legitimate legal frameworks. May God help Nigeria.”
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