By Aiyeku Timothy
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has asked the Southeast to negotiate with the North over the zoning of the 2023 Presidency to the region.
Ekweremadu, representing Enugu West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, said this on Wednesday while speaking at the 2020 edition of the Brandish Meeting of Minds Colloquium, titled, “Beyond branding: Engineering a citizens-led proposition for Nigeria’s national cohesion and global positioning,” and public presentation of a book: “Brands Pitch: Debunking Marketing’s Strongest Myths”, written by a Public Relations practitioner, Ikem Okuhu.
The lawmaker said the agitation can only be achieved through dialogue and having a conversation with the Northern region to buy into the idea.
He therefore, urged the federal government to restructure the country, decentralized the Police, and devolve power to the states, adding that restructuring will solve the issues of insecurity and economic challenges facing the country.
“There is clamour for Igbo presidency today. And I believe it can only be realised if we engage ourselves in conversation with northern Nigeria to buy into our initiative. There can never be a universal decision of any ethnic group and the rest of us in this country. It is only dialogue and conversation that can be equity to all parts of the country.” he said
Ekweremadu lamented the current economic downturn and increasing cases of insecurity such as banditry and kidnapping bedeviling the North, and other parts of the country.
The PDP chief accused the government of vehemently disregarding solutions being proffered by patriotic Nigerians in order to solve the problems facing the nation. The lawmaker noted that the government is bent on doing the same thing everything but hoping to get a different result.
“Nigerians have been offering solutions towards taming the rising wave of criminality. These include: calls for decentralised policing, of which I am a proponent and also have a bill to that effect currently before the Senate.
“Unfortunately, it appears the government is bent on doing the same thing over and over, but ironically hoping to get a different result.”
