Owerri Peoples Assembly- a Socio-Cultural Organization comprising 10 Local Government Areas in Imo State of South East geo-political zone has insisted on the creation of an additional state in the South East before any National Conference in Nigeria.
The Assembly has also called for the inclusion of Devolution of Powers and Rotation of Presidency among the six (6) geo-Political zones in the country and Governors among zones in the States in the Agenda of the proposed National Conference.
This is contained in a memorandum presented by the Secretary — General of Owerri People’s Assembly, Comrade Ben Osuagwu to the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue/Conference at the Michael Okpara square in Umuahia, Abia State.
The Assembly said the issue of an additional State in the South East State is non negotiable having been approved by the National Political Reform Conference since 2005.
It advocated a true fiscal Federalism for the country, because it will promote unhindered competitive development of the Federating units/zones
It also suggested that the Conference should be a Sovereign National Conference as it will enable Nigerians to re-examine all aspects of their National existence for the first time since the 1914 amalgamation. It further maintained that the restructuring of Nigeria to recognize the six (6) geo-Political zones in the country’s constitution and the equality of the Federating zones should be discussed at the National conference.
The Owerri Peoples Assembly described the present Nigeria’s Constitution as anachronistic in nature as it did not fully devolve powers among the three tiers of government. It therefore opted for the review of the constitution at the National Conference so that Nigerians should decide on the type of constitution they want and how to govern themselves.
The Assembly advocated that delegates to the conference should be based on equal numbers from each of the six (6) Geo-Political zones adding that its funding should be through Presidential fiat to avoid administrative bureaucracy.
