ELDER statesman Edwin Clark yesterday condemned the Biafra agitation led by Nnamdi Kanu.
Clark spoke yesterday when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt, Senator Shehu Sani, visited him in Abuja.
He also condemned the quit notice by the Arewa Group to the Igbo living in the North, saying it was worrisome.
He warned that secession or agitation was not the way to go on restructuring the country, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said: “When Kanu talks about Biafra, he is talking nonsense. We do not want a second war.
“America fought their civil war for a long time and they are not thinking of a second one. Kanu should drop the agitation.
“At the same time, it is arrogant and foolish on the part of some Northern youths to issue quit notice. You do not own the North. It is part of Nigeria and anybody can live there.
“The Igbo have been living in the North for over 100 years.”
The elder statesman emphasised the need for restructuring for equity and balance in the country.
He explained that though the call for restructuring had been loud in recent times, the country had been undergoing restructuring.
“We have been living together since 1914 and from time to time, we have been changing the way of our lives.
“In 1947, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe said the Richard Constitution was obnoxious; that it was anti-people. In 1950, we had the Macpherson Constitution, which created the three regions and in 1963, we had another constitution.
“During all these constitutions, the issue of the fiscal federation was very prominent. So, we have been restructuring this country and nobody talked about breaking up the country.
“The war between 1967 and 1970 was an unfortunate one.”
Clark said making necessary changes to allow for social justice was the way to go and urged the National Assembly to re-visit the issue of devolution of power upon resumption from recess, saying it was one of the ways to properly restructure the country.
According to him, the vote against devolution of power by the national assembly was borne out of the fear that it would whittle down the powers of legislators.
“We have reached a stage where states are not paying salaries and something has to be done to gear their minds to see what they can do in their own area to generate money.
“I am happy you believe in restructuring, which can be achieved within a short time but it may take up to 20 years if we do not agree among ourselves.
“So, once more I want to say that when you resume, the issue of devolution of power should be re-visited so that Federal Government will deal with foreign affairs, prisons, customs and a few other things.
On call to return to regionalism, Clark said “you cannot abolish the states now and say you want six regions. It is not going to be easy or possible now.
“I feel we should use the same states as federating units and the local governments should remain with the states.”
He called for the establishment of Revenue Mobilisation Commission to deal with funds that move between states and local governments to sustain them.
Clerk promised to convene a meeting of elder statesmen across the country to find a lasting solution to the problem of restructuring.
Sani said one of the reasons the devolution of power did not scale through in the National Assembly was the fear that state governments might abuse their powers.
He said: “The problem we have with the devolution of power is how to tackle some of the problems that come with it.
“For example, the present crop of governors might not be able to handle state police in a manner that people who disagree with them can be safe.
“Secondly, the manner in which elections are conducted by state independent electoral commissions where the ruling party in the state wins all positions is worrisome.
“So, if we devolve the police, we have to allay the fears of people on the implications. Those who are championing some of these issues need to make clarifications.”
On derivation and resource control, the lawmaker said it was in the best interest of the country to stop thinking about oil because it was becoming non-attractive globally.
Sani described the quit notice as “embarrassing”. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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It's people like you that has kept south where it is ... a fulani SLAVE talking
ReplyDeleteFor the very first time I will agree with the elder statesman. Anyone who has studied the Aburi accord will find out that the Igbos never wanted to secede ab initio. Had that accord been implemented as agreed, we wouldn't have come to this pass now. Every region would have had the opportunity to entrown its own values and develop at its own pace within its capacity. It is sad and unfortunate that well over forty something years after, we are still talking about restructuring. What we have now is nothing near federalism. We have glorified provinces who rely mainly on hand outs from the center for survival. The people have been sold dummies in the name of states. Yes it will difficult if not impossible to collapse the existing state structures in place of regions. Yet something must give if we must survive as a nation. I honestly do not see why we must have 36 states with thirty six governors, legislators and judiciaries with the attendant over heads, when six such structures can serve the same purpose in an even more efficient and cost effective manner! What we have effectively done is to create tiny fifedoms for our greedy elite to lord it over us and rob us blind!
ReplyDeletePray what business has the federal government with local governments? Why on earth should local governments form the basis for distribution of scarce national resources, if it wasn't dubiously meant to short change some people. States only should be the basis for revenue distribution. States should decide on how many local governments they want and can manage depending on the resources available to them. From our experience, conduct of any form of election should be centralised and done by INEC. The same should be with the police, custom and armed forces. They should remain in the exclusive legislative list. There are some many other things that needs being urgently addressed if we truly want to build a nation where "no man is oppressed". Presently the whole set up is skewed in favour of the thieving elite! There is injustice in the land hence the cries for balkanisation.
THIS CLARKE SHOULD RESPECT HIMSELF AND STOP TALKING ABOUT BIAFRAN ISSUES.WHY DID HE LIVE IN ABUJA AND NOT IN WARRI OR SAPELE?HIS PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING IN DELTA STATE AND HE IS ENJOYING HIMSELF IN ABUJA THERE BY ALWAYS TALKING TRASH.AS OLD AND EDUCATED AS HE IS,HOW DOES A REQUEST FOR REFERENDUM AND SELF DETERMINATION COME TO MEAN WAR?DOES IT MEAN THAT IN NIGERIA PEOPLE HAS NO RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION?IF SO WHY IS NIGERIA A SIGNATORY TO IT BOTH IN THE U.N AND A.U?WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE THAT SUPPOSED TO KNOW BETTER IN NIGERIA ARE ALWAYS THE ONE TALKING TRASH AND GARBAGE?ALL THE POLITICAL ELITES IN NIGERIA ARE VERY WICKED.THEY DON'T HAVE THE INTEREST OF THE MASSES AT HEART.ALL THE CARE IS THE MONEY THAT KEPT ENTERING THEIR ACCOUNTS.AN AVERAGE IF NOT MOST NIGERIAN MASSES ARE SUFFERING YET OUR POLITICAL ELITES DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT SINCE THEY ARE THE ONE BENEFITING FROM THE LOOTING OF THE COUNTRY'S MONEY.GOD IS WATCHING ALL OF U.WE THE YOUTH FROM THE EASTERN NIGERIA HAS DECIDED TO REJECT THESE SLAVERY AND I DO HOPE THAT YOUTHS FROM OTHER PARTS OF NIGERIA SHOULD WAKE UP NOW.
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