DR. OKEY ANUEYIAGU AND THE SOUTH EAST DELEGATION POSITION ON THE 2014 NATIONAL CONFERENCE, ABUJA

In the year 2014, the government of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan inaugurated the National Conference in Abuja. The objective as enumerated by the President was to strengthen national unity, consolidate democratic governance in Nigeria, lay a much stronger foundation for faster development and initiate guiding principles for the emergence of a more united, progressive and prosperous nation.

The South East Governors in their wisdom felt a strong need to set-up a think-tank to properly articulate the South East-Igbo position and to bring into perspective, the critical issues necessary for discussion and negotiation on the national stage.

Dr. Okey Anueyiagu was invited to head the Secretariat as the Lead Consultant, while Amb (Prof) George Obiozor was the Co-ordinator. General (Senator) Ike Nwachukwu was the Chairman of the 76 member South East delegation.

The efforts of Dr. Okey Anueyiagu and others at the National Conference yielded a brilliantly researched document that helped to give the South East-Igbo position a strong bargaining power at the Conference. They provided the delegates with a comprehensive analysis and justification for the position and stand they took.

Dr. Okey Anueyiagu, as the Lead Consultant and head of the Secretariat carefully and meticulously articulated and structured the ideas that produced the Terms of References and Agenda which formed the foundation of the South East-Igbo position at the Conference namely:

1.           Political Restructuring of the Country

2.           Forms of Democratic Governance

3.           Good Governance

4.           Judicature

5.           Democratization

6.           Political Parties, God-Fatherism and the Challenges of Internal Democracy

7.           National Security and Security Challenges

8.           State Creation and Merger Of States

9.           Education

10.      Health

11.      Science, Technology, And Development

12.      Restoring the National Ethics, Moral and Core Values

13.      Religion, Secularism and the Secularity of the Nigerian State

14.      Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development

15.      The Environment

16.      Defence

17.      Tenure of Public Officials: President, Governors, Etc.

18.      The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

and the Challenges of Conducting Free and Fair Election

19.      Population and Credible National Census

20.      Land Use Act

21.      Role Of Traditional Rulers and Institution In Governance at National and Local Levels

22.      The Economy

23.      Oil and other Mineral Resources Management, Exploration and Sharing Mechanism

24.      Revenue Generation and Mobilization

25.      National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)

26.      Gender Issues

27.      Youth Unemployment and Development Issues

28.      Physically Challenged Persons

29.      Investment In Sports

30.      Boundary Adjustment

31.      National Inland Waterways Issues

32.      Elective Mayoralty Administrative/Legislative Structures for Fct, Abuja

33.      Special Status For Lagos

34.      Unsettled Issues of the Nigerian Civil War (1967 – 1970)

35.      Federal Character

36.      Language and Language Policy

37.      Pension Matters and Right of Senior Citizens

38.      Revising Bakassi

At this point, it is very pertinent to acknowledge the huge success recorded by the South East delegation as a  result of the maximum support they received from Dr. Okey Anueyiagu and Amb (Prof) George Obiozor and their team.

Some of the delegates achievements at the conference are as follows:

·        Creation of one non-negotiable state for the South-East zone to bring to parity with that of other five geo-political zones of the country;

·        Removal of Local Government as a federating unit used as a veritable tool to allocate paltry federal resources/or fund to the South-East Local Government Areas.

·        Adoption of the conduct of national census with international best practice where Religion, Tribe and the place of origin hold sway.

·        Mending of fences of strained relationship occasioned by the Civil War with the rest of the Southern geo-political zones and our Middle Belt brothers.

·        Devolution of Powers to reasonable extent to the benefit of Ndigbo, and the rest of Nigerians.

·        Creation of State Police.

·        Removal of immunity clause.

·        Citizenship rights including place of Birth and Residence.

·        Stoppage of State/Federal sponsorship of pilgrimages.

·        Institution of State Constitutions.

·        Creation of Zonal Economic Commission.

·        Creation and merger of States.

·        Canvased for construction of a seaport at Obeaku Ndoki in Ukwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

·        South-East to benefit from creation of States cutting across the Country and equality of states in all geo-political zones.

·        Uphold the secularity and religious neutrality of the Nigerian State as enshrined in the Constitution.

·        Fiscal Federalism or true federalism.

·        Boundary Adjustment to make a return of Igbo communities consigned to Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue and Kogi States.

·        Payment of Reparation to the South-East and Anioma people of Delta State that was a war theatre during the 30 months Civil War.

·        Ownership or resources must be by the areas where they are located. Grazing areas to be established and manned by cattle rearers in states that accept them, to ensure peace and security with host communities.