From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) has accused the Federal Government of allegedly hiring and sponsoring demonstrators to intimidate Amnesty International (AI)
Rising from its fifth Assembly held in Enugu at the residence of Chief Maria Okwor, ECA said the unnecessary paranoia exhibited by the Federal Government in hiring and sponsoring demonstrators to intimidate AI was frightening.
“The future of democracy is clearly threatened in any country where the government is both afraid and intolerant of the truth. The extra-judicial killings of unarmed citizens are documented in video for all to see. Struggling to intimidate Amnesty International is crude, sickening and despicable.”
It insisted that only office seekers totally committed to an early political restructuring of Nigeria would be voted for, henceforth.
The assembly also held that in future, any politician known to be against the restructuring of Nigeria, would have no place in Eastern Nigeria.
The Assembly was attended by traditional rulers, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), students unions, traders associations, women groups, Niger Delta Youth Movement, town unions, youth organisations and religious leaders. The group deliberated on the state of the nation, made observations and decided that future elections in Eastern Nigeria, would be anchored on the restructuring of Nigeria.
In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Chief Okwor and Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, leader and secretary of ECA respectively, the body said: “The era of stomach infrastructure is over. Any politician, who is against the restructuring of Nigeria, has no place in Eastern Nigeria.
“Refusing, to address the core issues responsible for the general loss of confidence and loss of faith ruling the land, which is the current unworkable unitary structure and digressing to apportion years for ethnic domination of Nigeria is irritating and a confirmation that Nigeria is truly heading for collapse.
“Nupe president in 2031, Urhobo president in 2039, Birom president in 2047, Igbo president in 2023 etc. are all bunkum and provocative distraction. We must face reality today and agree consensually on a truly Federal structure, that will unite the country. It should not matter where a president comes from, if true federalism is practised.
“Clearly avoidable internal crisis within the ruling APC is worrisome and quite disturbing. For example, Saraki/Melaye versus Ibrahim Magu, DSS DG Lawal Daura versus Ibrahim Magu, Senate versus customs CG, etc. That the ruling party is overheating the polity unnecessarily, speaks volumes about the quality of leadership Nigerians ahave.”
“The time has finally come for the electorate of Eastern Nigeria, a region that has suffered so much humiliation in contemporary Nigeria, to wake up and take a stand for the future of our progeny. Accordingly, political hustlers and pseudo leaders, who have mindlessly exploited and abused our trust and good nature, must be retired forthwith.
“We must develop parameters, standards and values for leadership. In other to raise the bar in the quality of leadership which we think is ideal. We must begin to endorse, encourage and celebrate only leaders who are willing to make sacrifices by placing the interest of the masses above self interest. The time to start is now.”
On Nnamdi Kanu ECA said: “We are surprised at the refusal of the Federal Government to understand and appreciate the truth that restructuring Nigeria is inevitable. FG must also accept the reality that the Federal Government unwittingly made Kanu both a symbol of the struggle and hero of the people. Only an early release of Kanu and constructive dialog with the people can heal the land now.
“And finally, the quite unreasonable and unhelpful delay in reconstructing Nigeria into true fiscal federalism, built on regional autonomy, is the only problem holding Nigeria down today. There is no other way out. Delay is dangerous.”