A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo has decried the maltreatment of the Igbos by the Nigerian project.
Nwodo who was a former governor of Enugu State said during an interview on AriseTV on Thursday said that the Igbos have been repeatedly neglected by successive administrations since the return of democracy in 1999.
Nwodo who cited the instance of opportunities created for youths in the Niger Delta during the height of oil pipeline sabotage in the 2000s, further recalled how the mantra of “no victor, no vanquished” which ended the Civil War was yet to be actualized due to the continued marginalisation of the South-East.
He said: “The country has created opportunities for the Niger Delta. Why is the South-East always marginalized even though at the end of the war, we said no victor no vanquished?.
“For years, it was an anathema for anyone from the South East to head crucial posts; we endured for years. I think Nigeria owes the South-East a lot; we are supposed to be given a zonal economic commission but we don’t have it. This has led our youths into despondency and agitations; nobody listens but labelled them terrorists just for wanting a level playing field. What have the Igbos done that is so unforgivable for us to be marginalized this way?”
While advocating for a restructuring of the country due to the complexities involved in redressing the challenges bedevilling it, Nwodo said: “We need a President who will look at the political and economic situation of the country. The solution is to diversity and look at other sectors capable of bringing income; this can be done via restructuring. What else needs to be done for us to realise that the current system is not working?
“For example, there is a need to decentralize the police due to the complexities of the country for better policing. A centralized government in a federation is an anomaly. Just imagine if every region maximizes their potentials.
“Of course, President Muhammadu Buhari means well but the situation wasn’t favourable,” Nwodo said.
