ABUJA: Chief John Nnia Nwodo, a former Minister of Information and ex-President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned that Nigeria could disintegrate before the 2027 general elections if it fails to restructure.
Nwodo made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja while delivering a keynote at the public presentation of two books by veteran journalist Ike Abonyi.
He described Nigeria’s current governance model as a “unitary constitution masquerading as federalism” that has been unable to address the nation’s complex problems.
The event, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, drew several prominent political figures, including Peter Obi, Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who was represented by the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Emmanuel Agbo.
Restructuring
Nwodo advocated for the devolution of power to regions, with sub-national governments controlling their own natural resources in exchange for paying royalties to the federal government. This, he argued, would enable a true democracy and accelerate national development.
He warned that without these reforms, some regions might choose to boycott the 2027 elections or reject the results, which would further destabilize the nation.
“If it does not happen, we will have no alternative but to go our separate ways,” Nwodo stated.
The former Ohanaeze leader also highlighted Nigeria’s dire socioeconomic conditions, including high youth unemployment, poverty, and a decaying infrastructure.
He cited a United Nations report that puts Nigeria’s life expectancy at the world’s lowest, at 54.8 years, and a World Bank estimate that poor road infrastructure costs the country over $1 billion annually.
Secondus slams Tinubu
Also speaking at the event, former PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, accused President Bola Tinubu of overseeing the “gradual liquidation” of Nigeria’s democracy and economy.
Secondus criticized Nigerian political parties for their lack of ideological clarity, contrasting them with South Africa’s African National Congress ANC.
The presence of Peter Obi at the event fueled speculation about a potential political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, though Obi declined to comment publicly.
