Confab: I won’t support break up –Ahamba One of the delegates to the National Conference and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), has said that he would not support any discussion that borders on the division of the country. This is just as the Mbaise nation has called for more devolution of powers to the states and local governments as against the current ‘unitary system’ being practised in the guise of federalism. The legal luminary, gave the assurance yesterday during an interaction with the leaders of thought from the Mbaise concerning the National Conference. Ahamba, who stated that breaking of the country into smaller units is never an option, stressed that the division of the country would be more injurious to Ndigbo. He said that instead of a break-up, people should call for the strengthening of the unity of the country, where ethnicity and religion would be de-emphasised. “I would not support discussions for the division of the country because the constitution has made the country indivisible and it was because of that provision that President Jonathan has made it a no- go- area. “I would rather dissipate energy on strengthening the unity of Nigeria, where tribe and religion would be de-emphasized and all would be proud to be called Nigerians and be rewarded for that. “The division of Nigeria contrary to expectation, would be more injurious to Ndigbo. Rather, what we should do is to ensure that be country is beneficial to every Nigerian irrespective where they came from”. He pointed out that the problem of Nigeria is not the constitution, saying that what was needed was the right attitude to do things, while the nation’s leaders must have the courage to do the right thing at all times. Also speaking at the event, former Minister of Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji, said that no one could divide the country in spite of the challenges facing the nation. He urged the conference to focus on redefining how Nigerians could live as one people and that contentious issues especially citizenship and indigeneship should top the discussions at the conference. According to the former minister, the federal system which Nigeria currently operates is a hangover from the military which had centralised power at the centre, thereby making the federating units more of an appendage and that it did not make any sense for the federal government to run both primary and secondary schools which ought to be the responsibilities of the state and local governments.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 15:57:32 +0000
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