He said it would heighten two main agitations, namely, the struggle for the restructuring of the federation and the struggle for self-determination by the Igbo.
Onyike stated: “But we in ADF do not believe in restructuring. We believe in the reconstitution and renegotiation of the artificial federation. We want a return to regional autonomy with fiscal federalism. But in the event that these options fail, self-determination for the ethnic nationalities becomes inevitable. All oppressed ethnic nationalities in Nigeria can opt for their separate nationhood as autonomous republics under the banner of the African Union.”
The Igbo Leadership Development Foundation has said there would be consequences if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) denies the South East its 2023 presidential ticket.
The Director in charge of Public Affairs, in the group, Law Mefor, stated this in an interview with Saturday Sun, amidst anxiety over the zoning of the PDP 2023 presidential ticket.
Mefor, who noted that the principle of rotation and zoning of offices is enshrined in the PDP constitution, stated that “the structural imbalances in Nigeria have made federal character and rotation of presidential power inevitable.”
According to him, “the rotation and zoning principle was written into the PDP party’s constitution in 2009. Further amendments of the PDP Constitution never tampered with this express provision for rotation and zoning in the party. In its wisdom and patriotic zeal, the PDP has allowed power to rotate between North and South and made it both a manifesto and a constitutional matter.
“History is about repeating itself. Those who fail to learn from history are said to be condemned to repeat class. There will be consequences from the South East against the PDP in protest if the zone is denied the presidential ticket of the party. Mark my words.”