“Why Tinubu should call another national conference”

Foundation National President of All Progressives Grandiose Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorié, spoke with LAURENT NJOKU, on State of THE country And THE urgent stain Before President Bolas Tinubu, has rescue Nigeria Since THE precipice.

East Nigeria of Today THE reason For THE struggle For independence 63 years there is ?For a few of We WHO were old enough has witness that independence party, Never! I was Already Seven years old When Nigeria won independence In 1960. I was In primary school And he was SO GOOD famous. We thought that Eldorado had Finally come, even However a few of We has that age did not know What has to wait for but THE teachers continued has impress on We that THE future will be glorious And that We are lucky has to have acquired independence. And of course, We Also had A subject even has that primary level called Civic. Civic East A social science that taught THE citizens their rights And responsibilities. SO, as early as primary school, We were be fed And neat has to have A high sense of responsibility And patriotism. As A matter of do, three years After independence, THE Federal Republic of Nigeria was declared. That was In 1963 And THE even year, We had four Regions And these Regions had A reasonable level of autonomy. They were growth has their own pace. There was in good health competition. Income allocation by THE federation was base on fifty by hundred derivation. No region was envious of THE other In THE sense of envy And hatred.

I remember while growth up, public servants WHO were assigned has go has Lagos (which was THE capital) has take up THE quota of their region In THE federal civil service, would be see such appointment as Punishment because there was not a lot difference between THE remuneration they obtained In your State And federal ministry. SO, Sending in progress them far has Lagos was as socket them far Since their roots. He was not A attraction because of that in good health competition. THE Western region was in front of East region In terms of education And This was THE kind of competition that existed. But East region was checked in by THE Guinness World save as A of THE fastest growing Third World economy. Imagine Or all of We would be to have has been NOW if all THE Regions continued In that in good health competition, exploring And operator areas of comparative advantage, Nigeria would be to have has been A great country. That East What he was And person can SO say Nigeria East Or We expected he has be. It is unfortunate. Those days were THE GOOD old days. Things to have disappeared deranged.

Are You saying THE level of division We to have Today Never existed 63 years there is the division NOW East wider; SO visible that even A person In THE primary school will say You that Nigeria East not A country. He East worse that When Chief Obafemi Awolowo describe he as 'A geographical expression' meaning he was A country of SO a lot nation state. Currently, THE people In THE West are talk about Oduduwa Republic; those In THE Niger Delta are talk about Niger Delta Republic; those In THE South East are talk about Biafra; those In THE north are talk about THE Caliphate Republic. These are things person talked about In THE past.

What cause pooh begin with THE military intervention We had In 1966 When coups And counter-coups put power In THE hands of military officers Since A part of THE country, WHO felt that THE best thing has TO DO, has perpetuate themselves In power, was has put THE country In their own hands And they began has come with Strategies that adapted them. Because they door firearms, person could to dare talk has them Or voice out a few words of CONTESTATION about What was going on. They sat down In A place In THE early 70s And balkanized Nigeria In 774 local Governments as they love. Desert areas were converted has local Governments even if people were not life there. They thought that A sense of conquest was What Nigeria necessary has to grow not awareness that What they did was has regression THE country.

NOW, if You look has THE path OUR income East be sharing, he tell You that Nigeria East A centrist government, not A federal government. Centrist In THE sense that about 65 items on THE exclusive list to have No business be there. A federation should be more concerned with well-being policy, tax policy, stranger business, immigration, security, And Customs. These are a few of THE areas that A federal system should to intervene but most of THE things that should be on THE competitor list are all In THE center.

Ethnicity East NOW Deeper In THE country that religion In terms of division. People of THE even religion NOW to disagree vehemently When he come has ethnic And loyalty considerations. SO, these two things — religion And ethnicity – to have worsen. That East Or We are. In terms of national unit, THE country East standing on A precarious balance. Any of them little thing NOW can ignite A major fire if care East not taken.