Nigeria
of His Dreams
Odumegwu Ojukwu,
presidential candidate of APGA plans to re-structure
Nigeria
if voted into power
By
Chris Ajaero
Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Ikemba
Nnewi and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance, APGA, last week in
Lagos
, promised to restructure the Nigerian
Federation if he emerges the next president of
Nigeria
. He spoke at world press conference in
Sheraton,
Lagos
, February 16.
Ojukwu, who came to
Lagos
for a campaign rally, with a formidable team
of APGA leaders, including Chekwas Okorie, national chairman, said
that the greatest problem of
Nigeria
was the decision of its founding fathers to
make the country a federation. He noted that as soon as he wins
the presidential race, the priority of his administration would be
to call for a national conference which would produce an
acceptable constitution. According to him, it is at the national
conference that all the federating units in
Nigeria
would decide on an acceptable political
structure for the country. “
Nigeria
is sick because of its structure and the only
way we can solve the problem is to get together at a round table,
re-define our structure and propose a constitution that will be
all inclusive and not exclusive and say we all agree to
something,” he said.
Ojukwu, however,
explained that, in doing this, concerted efforts would be made to
ensure that the interests of both the major ethnic groups and the
minorities are protected. He said
that in order to practise true federalism, power must be
decentralised. “ The situation where you have a pyramid of power
in
Nigeria
, concentrating everything at the pinnacle
leads to arson, murder, corruption and violence everywhere,” he
said.
Ikemba Nnewi
noted that what was of paramount importance to APGA was not
necessarily to rule but to lead
Nigeria
. In order to effectively heal the nation, he
said, the party would, if voted into power, involve all the prime
stakeholders in the country in continuity dialogue and true
reconciliation in which all the participants in war would be
involved.
The presidential
candidate of APGA promised to wage war against corruption if
elected into office. He explained that his administration would
not condone corruption and would be prepared to probe past leaders
suspected to have looted the national treasury. “One thing
everybody knows and which you are bound to accept is that
Odumegwu-Ojukwu cannot fear anybody,” he said.
While speaking on the
need to revive the country’s battered economy, Ojukwu said that
he would provide the enabling environment for Nigerians to become
more productive. So that there would be surplus for export. He
also announced his plan to create employment opportunities for
Nigerians and ensure that workers’ salaries were paid as at when
due.
Ikemba Nnewi
explained that he had already put in place a think-tank on the
Nigerian economy which would recommend lofty economic policies to
restore the lost economic glory of the country. With the
programmes he has articulated for implementation, coupled with his
belief that he is the best material to heal the country from its
multiple sicknesses, Ojukwu, announced that he is on his way to
Aso Rock.
Additional
report by Tobs Agbaegbu
Newswatch Volume 37 No. 9, March 10, 2003
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