The National Democratic Coalition and a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, have said only the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference can get the country out of the myriads of challenges confronting it.
A former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, who spoke on behalf of NADECO at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday, said: “NADECO believes that a Sovereign National Conference is the inevitable first step and irreducible minimum condition that can set us on the path to salvage the country from the unfolding grave dangers.
“It is mandatory that the people of Nigeria must sit down and restore the very foundation of the country and thus re-establish the constitutional architecture of the country, allowing every group sufficient space for self and group actualisation so that we can build a nation-state out of the diverse ethnic nationalities.”
Kanu said it was faulty to argue that the convocation of a SNC would lead to Nigeria’s breakup, adding: “The truth, however, is that the actions of the opponents of the SNC can lead to Nigeria’s break-up and responsibility for such outcome will rest squarely upon such opponents of the SNC.
“NADECO invites all the stakeholders namely the ethnic nationalities to intensify their respective constitution-making processes in formations of their choice including conducting referendum in their respective areas and blocs in readiness for the inevitable final solution (by the only way that will be peaceful) of the long standing national question.”
Anyaoku, who spoke in Enugu on Thursday, also said the convocation of a SNC would enable the country find its rhythm again.
Anyaoku spoke as chairman at the 41st convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, delivered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the institution’s Nsukka Campus.
He said: “I must warn about the seriousness of current developments, especially the continuing threat to the security of the citizenry and integrity of the state.
He said that the Boko Haram insurgency has “added urgency to the need for a national conference of the representatives of the people of Nigeria to discuss the root challenges to the cohesion and unity of Nigeria.”