The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo socio-cultural
organisation, has proposed that the south-eastern states be merged as one
federation.This demand was made by the youth wing of the group, in a statement
on Monday by Arthur Obiora, the national youth leader.
According to Obiora, there will be a referendum on August 8,
for Abia, Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu to decide whether they would want to
be merged into one federating unit.
According to the statement, a bill tagged “A law of Abia,
Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states houses of assembly for the holding of a
referendum on the proposal to federate Abia with Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo
and constitute same into South-Eastern Region of Nigeria within the Federation
of Nigeria” has been sent to the respective states’ houses of assembly for consideration.
He notes the proposal is “in view of the socio-political and
structural conflicts in Nigeria.”
“On the 8th of August, 2019, a referendum shall be held in
Abia state, Anambra state, Ebonyi state, Enugu state and Imo state of Nigeria
on Whether the Government of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states
should negotiate with each other with a view to forming a Federation of State
to be known as South Eastern Region of Eastern Nigeria,” the statement read.
“Whether the said Region should negotiate with the
Government of Nigeria and the remaining 31 states or any group of states that
have also agreed to federate … to achieve autonomy/self-determination for the
said region within a federation of Nigeria Constituent Units.”
Eligible voters for the referendum “are the persons who, on
the date of the referendum, would be entitled to vote as electors at a Local
Government Election in the electoral area/ward of the state in which they
reside or carry out business.”
“The result of the referendum shall constitute the entire
position of Abia, Anambra. Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states (South-Eastern Region
of Nigeria),” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment