The recently inaugurated leadership of Igbo Think-tank organisation, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has revealed its “strategic plans” to ensure the revamp of the economy and general development of the region.
In a world press conference addressed in Enugu by the new President of ADF, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie alongside members of the Executive Committee, the group itemized salient issues and actions that should be taken by various levels of leadership in Igboland and Nigeria at large to ensure a rebound of the country.
According to Prof Awuzie, the immediate and “unconditional release” of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is priority demand from the President Bola Tinubu led Federal Government of Nigeria.
Prof Awuzie announced that “The ADF calls for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB). The struggles for self-determination embarked upon by KANU and his supporters are popular democratic agitations and constitute the fundamental rights enshrined in the United Nations Charter for Human Rights as well as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Kanu’s continued incarceration constitutes a spite on Social Justice and an infringement on his fundamental rights to self-expression, especially when viewed against the Federal Government’s attitude of allowing those who had taken up arms against the state to be released, rehabilitated and even reintegrated into the Nation’s security architecture.”
Speaking further, the ADF leader stated that Nigeria needs a new constitution to power its growth in an emerging competitive world.
According to him, “In order to build an equitable federal structure based on social justice, we advocate the reconstitution/renegotiation of the Nigerian Federation. This should be done through the making of a new people’s Constitution and not the amendment of the 1999 Constitution as embarked upon by the current and former National Assemblies from 1999 to date. We are convinced that only a return to Regional Autonomy and Fiscal Federalism can resolve the problems bedeviling the crisis-ridden Nigerian federation. There should be a return to the 1963 Regional Constitution which was agreed upon by Nigeria’s founding fathers.”
Speaking on the ongoing debate about the planned Southern Coastline Super-highway, the group cautioned the federal government from going ahead without proper assessment and contribution of stakeholders in the project. The group urged the government to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment of the project as it is suspected to pose serious danger to the Southeast region.
Below is the full text of the press conference:
TEXT OF A PRESS BRIEFING BY THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT, ALAIGBO DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION(ADF), PROF. UKACHUKWU AWUZIE AT ENUGU ON 14th APRIL, 2024.
PROTOCOLS,
GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS.
I wish to gladly welcome you to this important Press Briefing which is borne out of the need to highlight some strategic issues which we consider to be of paramount necessity to our cause as patriotic Igbo elements. We want to seize this opportunity to formally inform our people about our emergence as the new leaders of ADF and to reassure them of our genuine commitment to our vision which is geared towards building a strong and virile organization of Igbo Intelligentsia that is ready and willing to defend the cause of Igbo liberation from marginalization , oppression and under- development. We are committed to an ADF that pursues the dreams and aspirations of Ndigbo within the Nigerian federation and one that is equally focused on our self-determination in Nigeria.
The new leadership of ADF, led by me hereby extends its hands of fellowship to former ADF patriots and members who, for one reason or the other had withdrawn or showed declining interest in the affairs of the Foundation. We urge all of them to return back to the fold and help in the common cause of developing the Igbo Nation as a major Ethnic Nationality in the Nigerian federation. In the same vein, we equally extend our hands of friendship to past leaders of ADF to join the new team to enable us have a united family.
NEED FOR UNITY OF PURPOSE.
We call on all our brothers and sisters at home and in the Diaspora to join ADF in the pursuit of the socio-economic transformation of Igboland. We also urge the Governors of the Igbo States to come together to create a comprehensive development plan for Alaigbo. This is one sure way of harnessing our abundant human and material resources for the attainment of food security. It will also enable us to evolve a formidable economic base capable of generating employment for our teeming young men and women.
The time has come for Ndigbo to create master-plans for infrastructural development of their region with a solid rail system to link all the major industrial, commercial and administrative hubs in Alaigbo.
TOWARDS OVERCOMING THE CRISES OF NIGERIA’S MONOLITHIC FEDERATION.
The ADF believes that the chaotic nature of the Nigerian Federation is the basis of the perennial terrorism, banditry and violence which have made life unbearable in Nigeria today. In order to build an equitable federal structure based on social justice, we advocate the reconstitution/renegotiation of the Nigerian Federation. This should be done through the making of a new people’s Constitution and not the amendment of the 1999 Constitution as embarked upon by the current and former National Assemblies from 1999 to date. We are convinced that only a return to Regional Autonomy and Fiscal Federalism can resolve the problems bedeviling the crisis-ridden Nigerian federation. There should be a return to the 1963 Regional Constitution which was agreed upon by Nigeria’s founding fathers.
RELEASE OF NNAMDI KANU.
The ADF calls for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB). The struggles for self-determination embarked upon by KANU and his supporters are popular democratic agitations and constitute the fundamental rights enshrined in the United Nations Charter for Human Rights as well as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Kanu’s continued incarceration constitutes a spite on Social Justice and an infringement on his fundamental rights to self-expression, especially when viewed against the Federal Government’s attitude of allowing those who had taken up arms against the state to be released, rehabilitated and even reintegrated into the Nation’s security architecture.
NEED FOR ELECTORAL/JUDICIAL REFORMS.
We wish to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to embark on serious electoral reforms and reform of the Judicial System in Nigeria. This is the only way to avert the growing political anarchy in the land and restore the confidence of the citizenry in the Democratic process in Nigeria.
NEED FOR A FUNCTIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN NIGERIA.
For a country as large and diverse as Nigeria, the need for a functional Health System for the citizens has become very imperative. The rate at which Nigerians travel overseas for health issues has become a national tragedy and a monumental disgrace. It has denied the Nigerian people their pride as citizens of a sovereign Nation and has made life in Nigeria to be nasty, brutish and short.
MORNITORING THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN IGBOLAND.
The ADF intends to commence a process of MORNITORING the developmental engagements of the governments in the South-East and Delta/Rivers axis. The essence of the MORNITORING system is to compel the political and administrative leaders in Igboland to sit up and render accounts of their stewardship to the people of the region. Governor’s in the Region should focus on qualitative governance and lift people away from poverty.
RECENT THREATS TO SECURITY IN THE SOUTH-EAST.
The ADF condemns the recent re-enactment of the bloody activities of Fulani Herdsmen in parts of Enugu State, especially in Ikem, Eha Amufu in Isi-Uzo LGA of Enugu State where lives have been lost. The Federal Government and the Enugu State Government must collaborate and take urgent steps to stop these crude violent attacks on innocent farmers in Igboland. The incriminated Herdsmen should be prosecuted according to the laws of the land.
ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S WEST-EAST COASTLINE ROAD PROJECT.
We want to seize this opportunity to advise the Federal Government to subject the proposed East-West Coastline Road Project to an Environmental Impact Assessment Plan. This is very necessary because the project has a tendency of impacting on the ecology and developmental activities of the environment. There is the need for public debates on both the cost and environmental impact of the project. The project may hinder the development of seaports in the South-East if the bridges to be constructed are not high enough, hence the need for the environmental impact assessment.
Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, fnia, fslan.
ADF National President.
