Igbo leaders reiterate call for national confab of ethnic nationalities

By The Citizen

The Concerned Igbo Leaders of Thought on Friday reiterated their stand on the proposed national conference, saying it should be a conference of ethnic nationalities.


Addressing newsmen after a meeting in Enugu, the secretary of the group, Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi, said the conference should produce a new constitution for the country.


“We want a conference of ethnic nationalities which will produce a new constitution to be approved by the people in a national referendum.


“We hold, and we will continue to hold in very high esteem, President (Goodluck) Jonathan. He will go down in history as really the founder of modern Nigeria if this thing goes well,'' Amucheazi said.


He said that various groups from different parts of the country believed that a conference of such nature was what the country required at the present time.


“This is the finest hour for this country, to really discover itself. So far, we have been concerned about modalities for this conference. If we get it right, every other thing will follow.''


He said the group was not in conflict with Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural pressure group in the Igbo-speaking part of the country.


“We are not in conflict with anybody. If at all, everybody supports Jonathan, there is no doubt about it.


“We are working on a document, looking at areas like security, true federalism, devolution of powers, and economy, among others.


“We are going to invite the Igbo to look at it and approve or disapprove, so that those going to the conference will be armed with something,'' he said.


The meeting was attended by some clergymen, National Assembly members, retired military men and other politicians.